The Art of Letters

"The Art of Letters" by Robert Lynd is a collection of critical essays exploring influential literary figures and their lasting impact. Highlighting authors such as Samuel Pepys and John Bunyan, Lynd’s writings uncover the personal lives, philosophies, and unique contributions of these writers within their historical and cultural settings. The book starts by studying Samuel Pepys, the famous diarist, depicting him as a complicated man of both Puritan and pleasure-seeking qualities. Lynd reveals Pepys’s internal struggles with faith, morality, and relationships, painting a picture of a man navigating societal norms and personal desires. The author presents Pepys’s contrasting qualities and the connection between his personal and public life, offering a fresh look at the writer.