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The French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650) wrote that "to read good books is like holding a conversation with the most eminent minds of past centuries and, moreover, a studied conversation in which these authors reveal to us only the best of their thoughts" (translation of the "Discourse on Method" by F. E. Sutcliffe (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1968), p. 30). This paper, based on a lecture to the combined AATE and ALEA conference of 2013, asks some questions in the spirit of Descartes's remark. What might teachers of English learn from the past about their profession? What attitudes towards, and ideas about, teaching can we recover from our predecessors? What authority might older practices of humanistic teaching and learning have for us today? And are tradition and authority compatible or incompatible with a spirit of innovation and creativity in English teaching and culture generally? (Contains 2 notes.)

The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche is fundamentally linked to his perceptions of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet,' with 'Hamlet' used by Nietzsche as a tool to analyse his own life. Nietzsche believed Shakespeare simultaneously diagnosed modern times while being a symptom of them, with Hamlet a modern, highly realized literary figure. Nietzsche believed personality is dependent upon freedom from vengefulness, as symbolized by Hamlet, with Hamlet ultimately acknowledging that everything that happens in his life is vital to who he is.

The essay examines the works of literary critic Kenneth Burke, and concludes that Burke is not as well known in present-day arts and letters as are other, more contentious, critics because of his cautious and analytical writing style.

The Politics of Courtly Dancing in Early Modern England By Skiles Howard Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1998 Here is a highly competent book displaying all the current virtues--and vices--of [...]