Essays in Petto

"Essays in Petto" is a collection of essays by English writer Montague Summers, first published in 1928. Within them, Summers explores the subject of Gothic literature, looking in particular at the work of notable writers including Ann Radcliffe, Jane Austen, Byron, and others. A detailed examination of Gothic romance by a master of the supernatural. Contents include: "Ann Radcliffe", "Jane Austen", "Byron's 'Lovely Rosa'", "The Marquis de Sade", "A Restoration Prompt-Book", "Pepys' 'Doll Common'", "Orrey's 'The Tragedy of Zoroastres'", "The Source of Southerne's 'The Fatal Marriage'", "Mystical Substitution", "Catherine of Siena", and "S. Antony of Padua". Montague Summers (1880-1948) was an English clergyman and author best known for his scholarly work and studies on supernatural entities including werewolves, vampires, and witches. Notably, he produced the first English translation of the infamous 15th-century witch hunter's manual, the "Malleus Maleficarum". This classic work is being republished now in a new facsimile edition of the original text.