This collection investigates the evolution of dramatic form and thematic concerns within the English theater from the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 through the end of the eighteenth century. Editors Dougald Macmillan and Howard M. Jones provide a curated selection of plays intended to illustrate the shift from the witty, cynical comedies of the Restoration to the more sentimental and moralistic dramas that characterized the later Georgian era. By contextualizing these works, the editors argue that the theater served as a primary mirror for the changing social, political, and moral values of the British public during this period.

Scholars and students of English literature frequently cite this anthology as a reliable foundational text for understanding the dramatic output of the period. Readers often note the academic density of the editorial commentary, which provides necessary historical grounding for the primary source material.