The Pleasures of the Imagination

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Focusing on the emergence of English "high culture" in the eighteenth century, the book explores how a vibrant literary and artistic community developed through the efforts of publishers, impresarios, and dealers. It highlights the transformation from a time with scarce professional artists to a flourishing cultural scene featuring public concerts, galleries, and critical reviews by the early nineteenth century. The narrative reveals the venues—coffee-houses, concert halls, and pleasure gardens—that became central to this cultural evolution.