VOYAGES TO THE MOON

An obscure, somewhat esoteric interest is here given comprehensive, interesting coverage, in a learned, scholarly thesis derived from the Alexander Lectures given University of Toronto -- dealing with the English literary heritage of the 18th century on the subject of cosmic voyages. The author traces the theme of the voyage to the and kindred flights, going back to the classics- Cicero, Lucien, Plutarch; through lteire, Swift and Defoe, and high spotting such voyages in novel, romance, satire, and fairy tale. The author considers first the early writings that treat the super voyage as literature; then the later period of Kepler, Milton, Donne and Kiromer, were scientific with elements of mysticism; the tradition of the flight by found in the writings of Bacon, Chaucer, Godwin. The final section deals with the of flight by artificial wings and flying chariot. An epilogue rounds out the with the moderns such as Poe, Wells, Jules Verne. Limited appeal.