02517cam a22003493u 4500 22081 UtSlPG 20260610133517.0 m cr n 260607r2007||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d 57001876 UtSlPG en iso639-1 PR Wagstaffe, William, 1685-1725 Parodies of Ballad Criticism (1711-1787) : A Comment Upon the History of Tom Thumb, 1711, by William Wagstaffe; The Knave of Hearts, 1787, by George Canning Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2007 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2007-07-16 Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Parodies of Ballad Criticism (1711-1787)" by William Wagstaffe and George Canning is a collection of satirical critiques written during the early 18th century. This work explores the realm of ballad poetry, specifically mocking the criticism that emerged around this genre in a period marked by a transition from classical to emerging Romantic aesthetics. The book serves as a commentary on the reception and valuation of ballads within the literary community of its time. The collection includes Wagstaffe’s "A Comment Upon the History of Tom Thumb" and Canning’s "The Knave of Hearts," offering a humorous take on serious literary criticisms. Wagstaffe’s piece humorously elevates the nursery tale of Tom Thumb, suggesting its merit as a great literary work, while lampooning the pretentiousness of contemporary literary criticism. Canning follows with a mock epic critique of "The Knave of Hearts," systematically adhering to epic conventions to humorously validate the simple ballad’s status as high art. Collectively, these pieces reveal the cultural tensions surrounding literary form, taste, and the ongoing dialogue between traditional ballads and more sophisticated poetry at the time. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Parodies Ballads, English -- England -- History and criticism Canning, George, 1770-1827 Wimsatt, William K. (William Kurtz), 1907-1975 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22081 63225 63225