The Spirit of the Age; Or, Contemporary Portraits

by William Hazlitt

"The Spirit of the Age; Or, Contemporary Portraits" by William Hazlitt is a collection of character sketches published in 1825. Hazlitt portrays 25 prominent figures—poets, politicians, thinkers, and novelists—who embodied the defining trends of early 19th-century Britain. Drawing on his background as painter, critic, and social commentator, Hazlitt crafted vivid, personal portraits that pioneered a new literary form anticipating modern journalism. Though initially considered hastily assembled, the work is now recognized as his masterpiece, offering an enduring panorama of his era's intellectual and political landscape.