Oxford Paperbacks
2 total works
Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, leaves the easy life of the Happy Valley, accompanied by his sister Nekayah, her attendant Pekuah, and the much-travelled philosopher Imlac. There journey takes them to Egypt, where they study the various conditions of men's lives, before returning home in a `conclusion in which nothing is concluded'. Johnson's tale is not only a satire on optimism, but also an expression of truth about the human mind and its infinite capacity for hope. This book is intended for literature students and teachers; philosophy studies, and related courses; general
Samuel Johnson and James Boswell spent the autumn of 1773 touring the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland. Detailed notes of their individual impressions are now published in this volume. Johnson's Journey to the Western Islands records his observations on the Scottish landscape and architecture, and the traditions and character of the Scots themselves. Boswell's Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides is much more gossipy and circumstantial. Together, the two accounts provide a splendidly entertaining guide to Scotland.