A selective examination of British and Continental theory of the Romantic period, with some attention to relations to issues in current literary theory. Readings, which will range from Hume to Madame de Staël, will be organized under the following conceptual rubrics: limiting reason, aestheticizing reason, feminizing reason, and perhaps ironizing reason. All required texts will be made available in English. Some knowledge of Enlightenment criticism (e.g. from English/Comp. Lit. 508 or 509) would be helpful, but not essential.