 The Possibility of Criticism (1970), the second of the three books, is more modest in scope and less groundbreaking. Exclusively concerned with literary criticism, it limits itself to four problems: the “self-sufficiency” of a literary text, the nature of literary interpretation, judging literary texts, and bad poetry. Views propounded and defended in Aesthetics are further explained and defended in The Possibility, and several new concepts, for instance, that of an illocutionary act, are introduced and put to work. As with all of Beardsley’s writing, many poets, novelists, short story writers, essayists, critics, and philosophers are quoted and discussed. The style, tone, and approach are also characteristic Beardsley: eminently clear and guileless prose, gentle in tone but firm in argumentation.