go literature, a knowledge of all those springs of action which influence a people's modes of thought and expression is in the highest degree valuable. The study of history should hand in hand with the study of literature-and, in fact, is indispensable. And, finally, it will be observed that a systematic study of literature involves a knowledge of all those branches of science which have to do with man in his intellectual capacity or in his relations with his fellowmen. Regarding the matter in this light, the subject becomes a very extensive one-as extensive almost as human thought itself. Viewed as a means of intellectual culture, or in its aspects merely as a fine art, the importance of a study of literature in the manner which we have indicated becomes still more apparent. A careful observation of the style of expression employed by the greatest English writers can scarcely fail to lead to a finer appreciation of those peculiarities of discourse which lend beauty and strength and harmony and vivacity to our language. And thus a practical application of the principles of rhetoric is secured, involuntarily and without apparent effort. Then, again, by being brought into contact, as it were, with the masterminds of past ages, and by becoming familiar with the worthiest thoughts of the greatest thinkers, our intellectual faculties are not only enlarged and strengthened, but refined and cultivated. English literature is not contained in a single book, nor in any specified number of books. No single volume can teach English literature. The best text-book is that which will direct the student what to study, how to study, and how best to apply the knowledge acquired by that study. It is hoped that the present work will, in some measure, perform the office of such a guide, and that it will serve as a practical introduction to the study of the best and most notable works in the English language. The chronological arrangement usually adopted in books upon this subject has been in most part abandoned for the more natural arrangement by which works of a similar character are grouped and studied together and compared with each other. The student's attention is directed first and principally to books, rather than to authors; and the opinions of our best critics concerning these books are fully and freely quoted. For historical information regarding the times in which these works were produced, and the circumstances which brought them forth, the student is referred to books of history; and for a knowledge of the lives of the men and women who wrote them, he is sent to books of biography. Illustrative extracts are frequently given, but only such as are deemed necessary either to arouse an interest in the works under discussion, or to assist the student in forming a just conception of their literary merits. From books which are easy of access or generally known, fewer selections are quoted; for the student should, whenever possible, eschew extracts and turn to the books themselves. The best versions and the most approved texts have been generally followed, and, with but few exceptions, the orthography and punctuation of the originals have been carefully preserved. Except in rare cases, where it was thought that such references would be a The Venerable Bede-Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation- The First Prose Book written in English-The School at York- Alcuin-John Scotus Erigena-King Alfred-His Schools-His Lit- erary Labors-The History of Orosius-Ohthere and Wulfstan- Boethius's Consolations of Philosophy-Gregory's Pastoral Instruc- tions-The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle→The Decline of Learning-The Latin Histories of Nennius and Gildas-Ethelwold's Rule of a Mo- nastic Life-Dunstan on the Monastic Rule-Ælfric the Grammarian -The Life of Edward the Confessor-The Meagreness of Anglo-Saxon Modern English-Attempted Proscription of the English Vernacular— Trevisa-Monastic Chronicles: Turgot, Simeon, Eadmar, William of Malmesbury, Ordericus Vitalis, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Geoffrey Gaimar, Henry of Huntingdon, William of Newbury, Roger de Hoveden, Giraldis Cambrensis, Roger of Wendover, Matthew Paris, Ralph Higden-Athelard of Bath, Roger Bacon-The Schoolmen: Anselm, John of Salisbury, Alexander of Hales, Duns Scotus, Occam, Realists and Nominalists-Transition English: The Ancren Riwle, Sir Thomas More's History of Edward V.-Stow's Survay of London- Holinshed's Chronicles-Hall's Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancastre and Yorke-Grafton's Chronicles-Camden's Britannia and nnals-Samuel Daniels's History of England-Raleigh's History of the World-Lord Bacon's Historie of King Henry VII.-Clarendon's History of the Rebellion-May's History of Parliament-Bishop Burnet's History of My Own Times-Hume's History of England- Macaulay-Mackintosh-Sharon Turner-Lingard-Froude-Knight -Freeman-Lecky-Green-Robertson's Works: History of Scotland -Charles V.- Discovery of America—Gibbon's Rome-Mitford's History of Greece-George Grote-Thirlwall-Henry Hallam: Middle Ages-Constitutional History of England-Literature of Europe- Thomas Carlyle: French Revolution-Oliver Cromwell-Friederich the Great-George Bancroft: History of the United States-Hildreth's History of the United States-Other American Histories-William H. Prescott-Irving's Columbus-John Lothrop Motley-The Quali- BIOGRAPHICAL PROSE, INCLUDING LETTERS AND DIARIES. Biography: Plutarch's Lives-Early English Biographies-Izaak Wal- ton-Thomas Fuller's Worthies of England-Goldsmith's Life of Richard Nash, Esq.-Johnson's Lives of the Poets-Boswell's Life of Johnson-Southey's Life of Nelson-Moore's Life of Lord Byron -Lockhart's Life of Sir Walter Scott-The Popular Demand for Biographies-Carlyle on Biography-Autobiographies and Diaries: Diaries in the Sixteenth Century-King Alfred's "Hand-Boc"-The Paston Letters-Bulstrode Whitelocke's Memoirs-Pepys's Diary— John Evelyn-Richard Baxter-The Letters of Alexander Pope- Swift's Journal to Stella-Lady Mary Wortley Montagu-Chester- field's Letters to his Son-Horace Walpole's Letters-Diary and |