Summary:
"Poetry of the Anti-Jacobin" by Charles Edmonds et al. is a collection of political and satirical poems written in the late 18th century. This anthology preserves the celebrated verses created by influential figures such as George Canning, John Hookham Frere, and others during a tumultuous period marked by the French Revolution and its political ramifications in England. The collection serves to critique liberal movements, specifically targeting Whig leaders and the ideological undercurrents fueling their opposition to the government. The opening of the anthology provides historical context for the poems, spotlighting the political climate in England around 1797-1798. This section explains how the original "Anti-Jacobin" periodical was established to counteract Jacobin ideas through satire, humor, and verse, featuring a variety of works that lampoon key political figures and the revolutionary fervor of the times. The initial poems showcased in this segment include pieces addressing social injustices and moral contradictions of the era, reflecting on both the absurdity and seriousness of political discourse as presented by their authors. (This is an automatically generated summary.)