thoughts on poetry

In The Boarding School, Foster uses multiple perspectives to enunciate how boarding school assists the development for young ladies. In the first pages she frequently quotes from the headmistress, Mrs. Williams, who talks largely about different types of literature. I found the section on poetry especially intriguing. “Poetry is, by some, ranked with novels; but I think injudiciously. Good poetry is certainly a sublime source of entertainment and instruction. What music is to the ear, poetry is to the heart” (Foster 24).
I was concentrating my thesis on the significance of literature in boarding school education during the 18th century. I want to learn what type of reading instructors, pupils, and outsiders felt to be most significant. Originally, my focus aimed on different types of literature such as novels and romance but now I am considering purely poetry. For me, this means that much of my previous research will not be as helpful as I originally thought and that I will have to aim my searches in a different direction, but I think the end results will prevail. I do not know a lot about poetry during this era so I am excited to further my knowledge in both the poetry and how it affected women education. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them!