A clear, calm lantern for readers navigating the currents of Victorian criticism. Ephemera Critica asks what good criticism does for a living, and then shows you how thinking clearly about literature can illuminate life. This collection gathers John Churton Collins's sharp, eloquent essays as a singular act of critical prose. It offers a concise, accessible value: a sustained, essayistic literary critique that reads like a lively salon conversation-rigorous yet inviting. From aesthetic assessment of fiction to plain truths about literature, the pieces illuminate why art matters, how authors shape perception, and where taste meets conscience. It is not merely a historical scrapbook but a living dialogue with nineteenth century Britain, its figures and debates, and a touchstone for readers who relish well-formed argument and precise style. Historically significant, the work stands among landmark Victorian british criticism, informing modern understandings of Matthew Arnold criticism and Henry James criticism, while nearby contemporaries in criticism offer a window into a vital cultural milieu. For serious readers and classic-literature collectors alike, this is more than a reprint-it is a restored cultural treasure, revived for today's and future generations to study, enjoy, and debate. Out of print for decades and now republished by Alpha Editions, this volume is a collector's item and a cornerstone in british literary legacy studies, lovingly prepared for both casual readers and dedicated scholars.