The book by Leonid Efimovich Pinsky, one of the largest Russian literary scholars, is dedicated to the history of Western literature of the 18th century. The first section of the book consists of L.E. Pinsky’s works, little known to the modern reader - “The Plot of Don Quixote and the End of Renaissance Realism”, “The Life and Work of Baltasar Gracian”, etc. The second section contains the publication of a summary of lecture notes on the literature of the Enlightenment, read in 1944-1945. The teaching activity of L.E. Pinsky, interrupted by his arrest in 1951, is reflected only in the memories of his listeners. His students remember Pinsky's lectures as the most striking events of their student years.

For students, teachers and everyone interested in the history of literature. Contents: Brief biographical sketch author: Evgenia Lysenko

Preface, pp. 5-26

Renaissance and Baroque author: Leonid Pinsky

Article, pp. 27-62

Erasmus of Rotterdam and his “Eulogy of Stupidity” author : Leonid Pinsky

Article, pp. 63-98

"Biography" of Cellini and the Renaissance ethics of "valor" author: Leonid Pinsky

Article, p. 99 -130

Christopher Marlowe. "The tragic story of Doctor Faust" [Preface] author: Leonid Pinsky

Article, pp. 131-148

The plot of "Don Quixote" and the end of Renaissance realism author: Leonid Pinsky

Article, pp. 149-232

"Guzmán de Alfarace" and the poetics of the picaresque novel author: Leonid Pinsky

Article, pp. 233-280

Article, pp. 281-306

The life and work of Baltasar Gracian author: Leonid Pinsky

Article, pp. 307-420

Lectures author: Leonid Pinsky

p. 421-768

From sociological poetics to stoic humanism author: S. Piskunova

p. 769-811