One of the most intimate literary forms in English literature is the essay which almost strikes up an informal dialogue between the reader and the essayist. The word essay originates from the French word essai meaning attempt-and attempt to crystallize- one aspect of experience and "write a little about something". The ease and immediacy of this form grants it a firm place in all university courses. This anthology had been developed for students of English literature studying in Indian universities. It introduces eight eminent authors - spanning the last five centuries, many of whom have also excelled in other branches of literature. The selection aims to illustrate the general trend of development of the form. For many students, studying these pieces and preparing for their examinations can indeed be a daunting task. For their benefit a number of student aids have been provided in this special edition. Paraphrase Extensive wordnotes and annotations Notes on authors Critical comments