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The Immortal Dinner

A Famous Evening of Genius and Laughter in Literary London, 1817
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On December 28, 1817, the eccentric painter B. R. Haydon gave a famous dinner party in his painting room in London. He invited, among others, three of the greatest literary lights of the age: the poets John Keats and William Wordsworth and the essayist and wit Charles Lamb. Over the course of a long winter evening of delights, the guests recited poetry, indulged in high-minded conversation, and took part in ridiculous antics, with such displays of brilliance and wit that the party came to be known as the Immortal Dinner. Penelope Hughes-Hallett celebrates this unique gathering by vividly bringing to life these illustrious diners against a backdrop of social change. Literary London society was at its extraordinarily gifted best just two years after Waterloo: the Elgin Marbles controversy still raged; Mrs. Siddons performed Lady Macbeth in her drawing room to a distinguished audience; Joseph Ritchie, a young physician and would-be poet, prepared to explore the River Niger with a copy of Keats in his pocket. The Immortal Dinner offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives and thoughts of this literary elite at a turning point in English society. It recaptures these rare spirits, using a great many of their own words from letters and diaries. With 75 black-and-white illustrations and 2 maps.

Penelope Hughes-Hallett has also written My Dear Cassandra and Home at Grasmere, and has edited Childhood: A Collins Anthology. She lives in Warwickshire, England.

Remarkably accomplished...delicious.
— Economist

Sheer delight.
— Charles Osborne; Sunday Telegraph

Wonderfully evocative...splendidly readable.
— Jonathan Bate

A book of great charm....Hughes-Hallett allows us to savor all the ingredients of a very special event.
— Mark Bostridge; Independent

Remarkable.... Hughes-Hallett transcends the gimmick and enters the realm of the profound.
— San Francisco Chronicle

Illuminates an entire world...discursive and lively.
— Atlantic Monthly

Interesting...many excellent illustrations.
— The Wall Street Journal

Fascinating...has many pleasures to offer.... Terrifically rich.
— Evelyn Toynton; The New York Times

This book is an enjoyable read and is certain to make readers with to know more about the many topics discussed.
— The Historian

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