Goldwin Smith's 'Lectures and Essays' is a collection of thought-provoking papers that have been reprinted for his friends who seek back numbers of periodicals where they were originally published. The volume comprises several essays on literary, historical, and societal subjects, including the greatness of England, the early years of Abraham Lincoln, and the ascent of man. The essays offer insights that are relevant even to today's world, and the volume is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, history, and culture.