A provocative examination of the concept of the sublime from the eighteenth century to its reappearance within contemporary aesthetics and postmodern theory. It delivers a detailed account that traces the concept from the work of Edward Burke and his contemporaries through the Romantics and Kant to its reemergence in the writings of Lyotard and other postmodern thinkers. Although numerous authors have written books theorizing the sublime, this text stands alone as the only historical overview. Consequently, it fills an important gap in the current literature which has seen a recent explosion in writing about beauty. This is a lucid study written with wit and clarity. It will also be of great interest to students and scholars as the most authoritative account of the subject available.