Thomson's varied and complex poem The Seasons popularized a new mode of interpreting external nature, one which understood nature as a philosophy and religion, and made Thomson the preeminent English poet of nature until he was supplanted by Wordsworth. Based on the 1746 text, this is the first substantially annotated edition of The Seasons since 1871. Including Thomson's other work of considerable importance, The Castle of Indolence, this volume offers extensive explanatory notes and is illustrated with reproductions from the 1730 edition.