ABSTRACT
Like Allen’s work, KETTLE’s provides wide coverage; however, though he too organizes his study historically, Kettle is less interested in the historical context than he is in aesthetic accomplishment. After briefly reviewing the concerns and contributions of eighteenth-century masters of the form, he turns his attention to two dozen novels which he considers among the best written in English. Each receives careful scrutiny, and while the critical commentary lacks the rigor of later scholarly treatises, Kettle’s examinations are thorough and level-headed; hence, his survey offers an excellent starting point for those who wish to study any of these novels in depth.
