Assembled in the wake of the death of “Arminius von Thunder-ten-Tronckh”—struck by a stray bullet during the Franco-Prussian War—here is a collection of the fictional Prussian’s letters, conversations, and opinions. A descendant of the von Thunder-ten-Tronckh family of Voltaire’s Candide, Arminius proffers many views on social and pedagogic issues through these exchanges with his pen pal, Matthew Arnold, who writes back with equal vigor.
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Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) wrote “Dover Beach” (1867), one of the best-known poems in the English language. A prominent Victorian man of letters, he was appointed professor of poetry at Oxford. His writings on contemporary society, culture, and religion were instrumental in establishing criticism as an art form.