The literary works of Matthew Prior

Published by Clarendon Press in 1959, this scholarly edition of The Literary Works of Matthew Prior serves as a definitive resource for students of the Restoration and early eighteenth-century English literature. It was meticulously prepared by H. Bunker Wright and Monroe K. Spears to provide an authoritative, annotated collection of the poet's output, filling a long-standing gap in the critical study of his lighter verse and political satire.

The editorial design focuses on clarity and comprehensive textual accuracy, reflecting the rigorous standards of mid-century academic publishing at Oxford. By organizing Prior’s poems, epigrams, and longer works with extensive scholarly apparatus, the editors aimed to restore the reputation of a writer who was once a prominent cultural figure but had become largely overshadowed by his contemporaries. It remains a cornerstone volume for academic libraries and serious researchers interested in the nuances of Augustan poetry.