This podcasts introduces the popular eighteenth century epigram. Epigrams were hugely popular in the eighteenth century, and this podcast explores some of their appeal. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

The life of epigrams

Ten short podcasts on quirky aspects of eighteenth-century life.
This series of short podcasts offers an alternative history of the eighteenth century. Ten poems were chosen that illustrate the everyday and the extraordinary, the comic and the serious aspects of the period. Each talk begins with a poem, and shows its significance: how a satire on the pleasures of tobacco tells us of the relationship between intoxication and inspiration, or how a poem on apple pie speaks of evolving national identity. The series covers, amongst other things: tobacco, sport, epigrams, children and food. Showcasing a selection of the material in the English Faculty's Digital Miscellanies Index, exploring some of the more surprising ways in which popular collections of verse offer us a glimpse of the social, political and cultural history of their time.

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Smallpox was rife in the eighteenth century, leaving its mark both on its sufferers, and on the literature of the period. This podcast explores its history in verse. Smallpox was common during the eighteenth-century, and its aftereffects much discussed and lamented in popular literature. This podcast explores its representation in eighteenth-century verse. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Smallpox in poetry

Explores the aesthetics and impact of war poetry in the early eighteenth century, focussing on Joseph Addison's poem, The Campaign. Blood, guts and gore all feature heavily in eighteenth century war poems. This podcast explores the popularity of the early eighteenth-century battle poem. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

The poetry of war

Matthew Prior's The Ladle was one of the most popular poems of the eighteenth century. This podcast explores its appeal. Matthew Prior's The Ladle was hugely popular in the eighteenth century. Based on a story from Ovid, its bawdy tale delighted generations of readers. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

The Ladle: a comic poem

Much popular music of the eighteenth century is found in poetic miscellanies. But how was it performed? Giles Lewin explores the popular music of the eighteenth century, and the challenges it provides for a modern performer. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

Music in miscellanies

Introduces the poetry of rural life, and its debt to classical sources. Often idealised, the rural and the rustic play an important part in eighteenth-century poetry. This podcast gives a glimpse into the natural world seen through eighteenth-century eyes. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

The life of epigrams

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