This work investigates the complex intersection of social class, literary patronage, and the public reception of Stephen Duck, the 18th-century laboring-class poet. Jennifer Batt examines the mechanisms of patronage in Hanoverian England, utilizing Duck's career as a primary case study to illustrate how class dynamics influenced the production and consumption of literature. By analyzing contemporary responses to Duck's work, the author demonstrates how the poet's identity as a 'threshing poet' was both a marketing asset and a source of significant social friction.

Scholars in 18th-century studies frequently cite this work for its rigorous archival research and nuanced understanding of class-based literary gatekeeping. It is widely regarded as a foundational text for understanding the specific socio-political pressures faced by non-elite writers during the Hanoverian period.