MANUAL OF ENGLISH LITERATURE. DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS OF ADVANCED GRADES. BY N. K. ROYSE, AUTHOR OF A MANUAL OF AMERICAN LITERATURE." PHILADELPHIA: COWPERTHWAIT & Co. IF PREFACE. F the matter of the present work shall fail to apologize satisfactorily for its appearance in the already numerous family of manuals of English literature, it is still hoped that the manner in which such matter is presented-the arrangement of the work-will commend it as something unlike and possibly superior to its sister manuals as a normal guide to the student. The author believes that the study of any literature properly begins with the writings of its living authors, and proceeds from these to those of modern, and from modern to those of early authors, the earliest coming last. And he rests his belief in this matter on the indisputable fact that the literature most readily comprehensible to any student is that of his own country and his own age; for the literary atmosphere-the peculiar idioms, the natural surroundings, the moral, æsthetical, social, and political ideas and sentiments-breathed by living, native authors is the same that is breathed by himself. An American student, therefore, should commence his study of literature with the writings of living American authors.* This done, the student's next step evidently is to take up the writings of living English authors, and from them, as from its mouth, to ascend the successive levels of the great stream of English literature to its fountain head. To facilitate this accomplishment is the purpose of the present manual.. * With a view to promote this end the author prepared, some years ago, his "Mannal of American Literature." M114688 It may be objected to the foregoing plan that the literature of no age can be intelligently studied without at the same time taking into account the national and social bearings upon it of preceding literary epochs. This is undoubtedly true; and to obviate the difficulty the author has devoted the first part of this work to a sketch of the history of English literature, beginning at its remote source and descending in chronological order to its present Amazonian mouth; for a satisfactory understanding of which the student need not to be acquainted with the writings of any author. The plan of the work, therefore, naturally divides itself into two parts-part first being a sketch of the history of English literature, chronologically considered, and part second an epitome of the lives and works of the representative writers of English literature, treated of in an inverse chronological order. Another peculiarity of the present manual is, that it brings into prominent notice only such writers as are universally acknowledged to be representative. Life is not long enough—especially student life-for an exhaustive study of any literature; and if it were, it is questionable whether the wisest policy would not restrict one to a study of the works of the most eminent writers. Such, at any rate, is the policy of the present work, only fifty-three writers being treated of at length. Writers of less importance are scarcely more than named, classified, and located. CINCINNATI, 1881. N. K. ROYSE. |