The history of English literature; with an outline of the origin and growth of the English language

II

PBOFESSOE OF LOGIC, KHETORTC, AND METAPHYSICS, IN THK UNIVEESn.'Y OF SAINT ANDREWS.

EDINBUKGH: OLIVER & BOYD, TWEEDDALE COURT.

AGENTS IN LONDON,

SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO.

MDCCCLIIT.

1^

S3

Printed by Oliver & Boyd, Tweeddale Coxxit, High Street, Edinburgh.

Preface

This volume is offered, as an Elementary Text-Book, to those who are interested in the instruction of young persons.

The tenor of my own pursuits, and my hearty concurrence in the wish to see the systematic study of English Literature occupying a wider place in the course of a liberal education, seemed to justify me in attempting, at the request of the publishers, to frame an unambitious Manual, which should relate and explain some of the leading facts in the Intellectual History of our Nation. Those youthful students, for whose benefit the book is intended, will, I would fam hope, find it not ill calculated to serve, whether in the class-room or in the closet, as an incitement to the perusal, and a clue through the details, of works possessing higher pretensions, and imparting fuUer mformation.

It is for others to decide whether, in ushering young readers into the field of Literary History, I have been able to make the study interesting or attractive to them. I am at least confident that the book does not contain any thing that is beyond then- comprehension, either in its manner of describing facts, or in its criticisms of works, or in its incidental suggestion of critical and historical principles. ■ But, on the other hand, having much faith in the vigour of youtliful intelligence, and a strong deshe to aid in the right guidance of youthful feeling, I have not shrunk from availing myself freely of the opportunities, furnished profusely by a theme so noble, for endeavouring to prompt active thinking and to awaken refined and elevating sentiments. I have frequently invited the student to reflect, how closely the world of letters is related, in all its regions, to that world of reality and action in the midst of which it comes into being : how Literature is, in its origin, an effusion and perpetuation of human thoughts, and emotions, and wishes ; how it is,

A

2 PREFACE.

in its processes, an art which obeys a consistent and philosophical theory ; how it is, in its.effects, one of the highest and most powerful of those mfiuences, that have been appointed to rule and change the social and moral life of man.

The nature of the plan, according to which the materials are disposed, will appear from a glance at the Table of Contents. The History of Enghsh Literatm-e being distributed into Two great Sections, the First Part treats the earlier of the two. It describes the Literary Progress of the Nation from its dawn in the Anglo- Saxon Times, to the beginning of the Sixteenth Centmy, which is taken as the close of the Middle Ages. In the course of that long period, not only were the foundations of our native speech laid, but its structure may correctly be held to have been in aU essential points completed. Accordingly, the Outline of the Origin and Growth of the English Language, which could not conveniently have been incoi-porated with the earlier hterary chapters, seemed to find its fit place in the Second Part. The Third Part, resuming the History of our Literatm-e at the opening of Modern Times, traces its revolutions down to the present day. The changes that have occm-red in the language during this most recent period, appearing to be really nothing more than varieties of style, do not require a separate review, but receive incidental notice as they successively present themselves.

The Historical Sm-vey of English Literature, announced in the title-page as the principal business of the volume, thus occupies the Fu'st and Tlurd Parts. The former of these, deahng with the Anglo-Saxon Times and the Middle Ages, is short. It is so constructed, Kkewise, (unless the aim has been missed,) as to introduce the reader gi-aduaUy and easily to studies of this sort. It contains comparatively little speculation of any kind : and those literary monuments of the period, which were thought to be most worthy of attention, are described with considerable fulness, both in the hope of exciting interest, and because the books fall into the hands of few. In the Summary of Modern Literature which fiUs the Tliird Part, more frequent and sustamed efforts are made to arouse reflection, both by occasional remarks on the relations between intellectual cultm-e and the other elements of society, and by hints as to the theoretical laws on which criticism should be founded. Modern works, also, while the characteristics of several of the most celebrated are discussed at considerable length, are hardly ever analyzed so fully as were some of the older ones ; and, as we approach our own times, it is presumed that particular description of the contents of popular books becomes less and less imperative.

PREFACE. 3

In the course of those Literary Chapters, some information is given in regard to a large number of authors and their writings. But, of a great many of these, all that is told amounts to very little; and I may say, generally, that names of minor note, inserted only on account of circumstances marking them off from the vast crowd of names omitted, receive no further scrutiny than such as is required for indicating cm-sorUy the position of those who bore them. On a few of those great men, who have been our guides and masters in the departments of thought and invention that are most widely interesting, there is bestowed an amount of attention which may by some readers be thought excessive, but which to myself seemed likely to make the book both the more readable and the more useful. There must, however, be great diversity of opinion among diverse critics, both as to the selection of names to be commemorated, and as to the comparative prominence due to different authors, and works, and kinds of composition. It is enough for me to say, that, in these matters as in others, I have formed my judgment with due dehberation, and made the best use I could of all the information that is at my command.

Many little points have been managed with a view to facilitate the use of the volume m public teaching. Dates, and other particulars, which, though often not to be dispensed with, tend to obstruct reading aloud, are, always where it is possible, thrown into the margm. Bibliogi'aphical details are generally avoided, except a few, which illustrate either the works described or the history of the author or his time. Hardly anywhere, for instance, are successive editions noted, unless when the student is asked to make himself acquainted with the English Translations of the Holy Bible ; an exception which is surely not wrong, in a work designed to assist in informing the minds of Christian youth.

The Series of Illustrative Extracts is as full as it was found possible to make it : and it is ample enough to throw much light on the narrative and observations furnished by the Text. The selections have been made in obedience to the same considerations, which dictated copious criticisms of a few leading writers. The works quoted from are not many in comparison with those named in the bo-dy of the book, being only some of those that are most distinguished as masterpieces of genius or most eminently characteristic as products of theh age : and the intention was, that every specimen should be large enough to convey a notion, not altogether inadequate, of its author's manner both in thought and in style. No Extracts are given in the First Part. The writers of those ancient times could not, at least tiU we reach the very latest of them, be

PREFACE.

understood by ordinary readers without explanatory and glossarial notes. Accordingly tlie quotations from their writings are thrown into the Second Part ; where verbal interpretation is less out of place ; and where, also, they serve the double use of illustrating the progress of the language, and of relieving the philological text by contrast or by their poetical pictures. In the Third Part, the Extracts are subjoined, as footnotes, to the passages of the text in which the several authors are commemorated. No Extracts are presented from the Nineteenth Century. Its literary abundance and variety could not have been exemplified, either fairly or instructively, without an apparatus of specimens so bulky as to be quite inadmissible : and the books are not only more widely known, but more easily to be found, than those of preceding times.

The Second Part, offering a brief Summary of the Early History of the English Language, fills about one-seventh of the volume. It must have, through the nature of the matter, a less popular and amusing aspect than the other Parts. But the topic handled in these Philological Chapters is quite as important as those that occupy the Literary ones. The story which this Part tells, should be familiar to every one who would understand thoroughly the History of English Literature; and therefore it deserved, if it did not rather positively require, admission as an appendix to a narrative in which that History is surveyed. A knowledge of it is yet more valuable to those who desire to gain, as every one among us must if he is justly to be called a welleducated man, an exact mastery of the Science of English Grammar. The description here given of the principal steps by which our native tongue was formed, illustrates, almost in every page, some characteristic fact in our literary history, or some distinctive feature in our ordinary speech.

Contents

INTRODUGTOEY CHAPTER.

1. The Four Great Periods of English History. — 2. The Eoman Period. — 3. The Dark Ages— The Anglo-Saxon Period.— 4. The Middle Ages— The Normans— Feudalism — The Eomish Church — Aspect of Mediaeval Literature. — 5. Languages used in the Middle Ages — French — English — Latin.— 6. Other Features of Literature in the Middle Ages — Its Sectional Character — The Want of Printing. — 7. Modern Times — Contrast of Modern Literature with Mediaeval. — 8. Lessons Taught by the Study of Literary Works— Lessons Taught by the Study of Literary History . Page 17

PAET FIEST.

Section First : Literature In The Celtic And Latin Tongues

1. The Four Languages used in Literature— Latin and Anglo-Saxon— The Two Celtic Tongues— The Welsh— The Irish and Scottish Gaelic— Celtic LiTEKATUEE. 2. GacHc Literature— Irish Metrical Relics and Prose Chronicles— Scottish Metrical Eelics — Ossian.— 3. Welsh Literature— The Triads— Supposed Fragments of the Bards — Romances — Legends of King Arthur. — Latin Liteeature. 4. Introduction of Christianity — Saint Patrick — Columba — Augustine. — 5. Learned Men — Superiority of Ireland— Intercourse with the Continent — The Anglo-Saxons in Rome. — 6. The Four Great Names of the Times — Alcuin and Erigena — Bede and Alfred — Latin Learning among the Anglo-Saxons . Page 29 b CONTENTS.

CHAPTEK II.

THE ANGLO-SAXON TIMES.

A. D. 449— A. D. 1066.

Section Second : Liteeature In The Anglo-saxon Tongue

1. Usual Course of Early National Literature. — 2. Peculiar Character of Anglo-Saxon Literature — Its Causes. — Poetet. 3. National and Historical Poems — The Tale of Beowulf— Other Specimens. — i. Poems Didactic and Eeligious — Extant Specimens — CaBdmon's Life and Poems. — 6. Versification and Style of Anglo-Saxon Poetry. — Prose. 6. The Living Language freely used — Translations from the Scriptures. — 7. Original Composition — Homilies — Miscellaneous Works — The Saxon Chronicle. — 8. King Alfred— His Works— His Character . . Page 37

Section First : Literature In The Latin Tongue

Introduction o the Period. 1. Distrihution of Paces and Kingdoms. —

2. Literary Character of the Times. — The Regular Latin Literature.

3. Learning in the Eleventh Century — Lanfranc — Anselm. — 4. Philosophy and Physical Science in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries — Hales and Duns Scotus — Eoger Bacon. — 5. Historians — William of Malmesbury — Greofirey of Monmouth — Girald du Barri — Matthew Paris. — 6. Success in Poetry — Joseph of Exeter — Geoffrey de Vinsauf— Nigel Wircker's Ass. — The Irregular Latin Literature. 7. Latin Pasquinades — The Priest Golias — Walter Mapes. — 8. Collections of Tales in Latin — Gervase of Tilbury — The Seven Sages — The Gesta Eomanorum — Nature of the Stories. — 9. Uses of the Collections of Tales — Eeading in Monasteries — Manuals for Preachers — Morals annexed in the Gesta — Specimens. — 10. Use of the Latin Stories by the Poets — Chivalrous Eomances taken from them — Chaucer and Gower — Shakspeare and Sir Walter Scott — Miscellaneous Instances . . . Page 47

Chapter IV. The Noeman Times

A.D. 1066— A. D. 1307.

Section Second : Literature In The Norman-french And Saxon-english Tongues

Norman-French. 1. The Two Languages of France — Poetry of the Normans — The Fabliaux and Chivalrous Eomances. — 2. Anglo-Norman Eomances from English History — The Legend of Havelok— Growth of Fictitious Embellishments — Translations into English. — 3. Anglo-Norman Eomances of the Eound Table — Outline of their Story. — 4. Authors and Translators of Anglo-Norman Eomances — Chiefly Englishmen —

Borron— Gast— Mapes.— SAXON-EiS-GLisH. 5. Decay of the Anglo-Saxon Tongue — The Saxon Chronicle. — 6. Extant Eelics of Semi-Saxon English Verse — Historical Works partly from the French — Approach to the English Tongue — The Brut of Layamon — Robert of Gloucester — Robert Mannyng. — 7. Other Metrical Relics of Semi-Saxon and Early English Yerse — The Ormulum— The Owl and the Nightingale — Michael of Kildare — The Ancient English Drama .... Page 59

Chapter V. The Literature Of England In The Fourteenth Century

Introduction. 1. Social and Literary Character of the Period. — Literature FROM 1307 TO 1350. 2. Occam's Philosophy — Ecclesiastics — English Poems. — Prose from 1350 to 1399. 3. Ecclesiastical Reforms — John Wycliffe— His Translation of the Bible — Mandeville — Trevisa — Chaucer. — Poetry from 1350 to 1399. 4. Minor Poets — The Visions of Pierce Plowman — Character of their Inventions — Chivalrous Romances, — 5. John Gower — His Works — Illustrations of the Confessio Amantis. — 6. Geofii-ey Chaucer — His Life — His Studies and Literary Character. — 7. Chaucer's Meti'ical Translations — His smaller Original Poems — The Flower and the Leaf. — 8. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales— Their Plan— The Prologue — Description of the Pilgrims. — 9. The Stories told by the Pilgrims — Their Character, Poetical and Moral .... Page 70

Chapter VI

ENGLISH LITERATURE IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY, AND SCOTTISH IN THE FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH.

England. 1. Poetry — John Lydgate— His gtorie of Thebes. — 2. Lydgate's Minor Poems — Character of his Opinions and Feelings — Relapse into Monasticism — Specimens.— 3. Stephen Hawes — Analysis of his Pastime of Pleasure. — 4. The Latest Metrical Romances— The Earliest Ballads — Chevy Chase — Robin Hood. — 5. Prose— ^Literary Dearth — Patrons of Learning — Hardyng — William Caxton — His Printing-Press and its Fruits.— Scotland. 6. Retrospect— Michael Scot— Thomas the Rhymer. — 7. The Fourteenth Century — John of Fordun — Wyntoun's Chronicle — The Bruce of John Barbour — Its Literary Merit — Its Language. — 8. The Fifteenth Century— The King's Quair— Blind Harry the Minstrel — Brilliancy of Scottish Poetry late in the Centiuy — Henryson — His Testament of Cressida — Gawain Douglas — His Works. — 9. William Dunbar — His Genius and Poetical Works — Scottish Prose still wanting — Universities founded — Printiag in Edinburgh . . Page 84

CONTENTS.

PAET SECOND.

THE ORIGIN AND GEOWTH OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

CHAPTER L

THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD.

INTRODUCTION OF THE CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS OF THE LANGUAGE.

, The Families of European Tongues — The Celtic, Gothic, and Classical — The Anglo-Saxon a Grermanic Tongue of the Gothic Stock. — 2. Founders of the Anglo-Saxon Eace in England — Jutes, Saxons, Angles — The Old Frisic Dialect. — 3. History of the Anglo-Saxon Tongue — Prevalence of the Dialect of the West Saxons — Two Leading Dialects — The Saxon — The Anglian or Northumbrian. — 4. What Dialect of Anglo-Saxon passed into the Standard English Tongue ? — 5. Close Resemblance of the Anglo- Saxon Tongue to the English — Illustrated by Examples. — 6. 7. Alfred's Tale of Orpheus and Eurydice— Literal Translation and Notes. — 8. Csedmon's Destruction of Pharaoh — Translated with Notes . Page 98

CHAPTER XL

THE SEMI-SAXON PERIOD.

A. D. 1066— A. D. 1250.

TRANSITION OF THE SAXON TONGUE INTO THE ENGLISH.

1. Character of the Language in this Stage — Duration of the Period.— 2. The Kinds of Corruptions — Illustrated by Examples. — 3. Extract from the Saxon Chronicle Translated and Analyzed. — 4. Layamon's Brut — Analysis of its Language — Comparison with Language of the Chronicle. — 5. Extract from Layamon Translated and Analyzed . Page 112

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER III.

THE OLD ENGLISH PERIOD A. D. 1250— A. D. 1500.

FORMATION OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE ENGLISH TONGUE.

1. Principle of the Change — Inflections deserted — Substitutes to be found— The First Step already exemplified. — 2. Stages of the Ee-Construction — Early English— Middle English. Early English.— 3, Character of the Early English — Specimens. — 4. Extract from The Owl and the Nightingale. — 5. Extract from the Legend of Thomas Becket. Middle English. — 6. Character of Middle English— The Main Features of the Modern Tongue established — Changes in Grammar — Changes in Vocabulary—Specimens — Chaucer. — 7. Extracts from Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.— 8. Extracts from the Knight's Tale.— 9. Specimen of Chaucer's Prose. — 10. Language in the Early Part of the Fifteenth Century — Extract from Lydgate's Churl and Bkd. — 11. Language in the Latter Part of the Fifteenth Century — Its Character — The Structure of the English Tongue substantially Completed — Extract from The Paston Letters. The Language op Scotland. — 12. A Gothic Dialect in North- Eastern Counties — An Anglo-Saxon Dialect in Southern Counties — Changes as in England. — 13, The Scottish Tongue in the Fourteenth Century — Extract from Barbour's Bruce. — 14. Great Changes in the Fifteenth Century — Extract from Dunbar's Thistle and Eose . Page 120

CHAPTER IV.

THE SOUECES OF THE MODEEN ENGLISH TONGUE; AND THEIE COMPAEATIVE IMPOETANCE.

1. Two Points — The Grammar — The "Vocabulary — Doctrine as to each. — Grammar. 2. English Grammar in Substance Anglo-Saxon — Enumeration of Particulars. — 3. General Doctrine — Our Deviations in Yerbs few — The chief of them — Our Deviations in Nouns and their Allies many — Description of them — Consequences. — 4. Position of Modern English among European Tongues — Leading Facts common to the History of all — Comparison of the Gothic Tongues with the Classical — Comparison of the English Tongue with both. — Vocabulary. 5. Glossarial Elements to be Weighed not Numbered — The Principal "Words of the English Tongue Anglo-Saxon — Seven Classes of Words from Saxon Eoots.—

6. Words from Latin Eoots — Periods of Introduction — Kinds — Uses. —

7. Words from French Eoots — Periods of Introduction — Kinds and Uses. — 8. Words from Greek Eoots. — 9. Words from Tongues yielding few. —10. Estimate, by Number, of Saxon Words Lost — Eemarks. — 11. Estimate of the Number of Saxon Words Eetained — Proportion as tested by the Dictionaries — Proportion as tested by Specimens from Popular Writers ....... Page 140

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PAET THIED.

THE LITERATUEE OF MODERN TIMES.

Section First : Scholastic And Ecclesiastical Literature In England

Introduction. 1. Impulses aflfecting Literature — Checks impeding it — The Eeformation — State Affairs — Classical Learning. 2. Influence of the Age on the Literature of the Next — Its Social Importance. Classical Learning. 3. Benefits of Printing— Greek and Latin Studies — Eminent Names — Theology. 4. Translations of the Holy Scriptures — Tyndale's Life and Labours — Coverdale — Rogers — Cranmer — Eeigns of Edward the Sixth and Mary — Increase of Printers. 5. Original English Writings in Theology — Their Character — Eidley — Cranmer — Tyndale's Treatises — Latimer's Sermons — Character of his Oratory . . Page 157

CHAPTER 11.

THE AGE OF THE PEOTESTANT EEFOEMATION.

Section Second : Miscellaneous Literature In England ; And Literature Ecclesiastical And Miscellaneous

IN SCOTLAND.

Miscellaneous Peose in England. 1. Secondary Importance of the Works — Sir Thomas More — His Style — His Historical Writings — His Tracts and Letters. — 2. Eoger Ascham — His Style — His Toxophilus — His Schoolmaster — Prosody — Female Education — Wilson's Logic and Ehetoric. — English Poetry. 3. Poetical Aspect and Eelations of the Age — Its Earliest Poetry — Satires — Barklay — Skelton's Works. — 4. Lord Surrey — His Literary Influence — Its Causes — His Italian Studies — His Sonnets — Introduction of Blank Verse — His Supposed Influence on English Versification.— 5. Wyatt— Translations of the Psalms — The Mirror of Magistrates — Its Influence — Its Plan and Authors — Sackville's Induction and Complaint of Buckingham. — Infancy op the English Drama. 6. Eetrospect — The English Drama in the Middle Ages — Its Eeligious Cast— The Miracle-Plays— The Moral-Plays.— 7. The Drama in the Sixteenth Century — Its Beginnings — Skelton— Bishop Bale's Moral Plays— Heywood's Interludes. — 8. Appearance of Tragedy and Comedy — Udall's Comedy of Eoister Bolster — The Tragedy of Gorhoduc, by Sackville and Norton, — Literature in Scotland. 9. Literary Character of the Period— Obstacles — State of the Language. — 10. Scottish Poetry — Sir David Lindsay — His Satirical Play — Its Design and Effects— His other Poems. — 11. First Appearance of Original Scottish Prose — Translations — The Complaint of Scotland — Pitscottie — State of Learning — Boece — John Major. — 12. John Knox — George Buchanan's Latin Works — Other Latinists — Melville — Universities — Schools . Page 169

Section First : General View Of The Period

Introduction. 1. The Early Tears of Elizabeth's Eeign — Summary of their Literature.— 2. Literary Greatness of the next Eighty Years — Division into Four Eras.— Eeign op Elizabeth from 1580. 3. Social Character of the Time — Its Eeligious Aspect — Effects on Literatui-e. — 4. Minor Elizabethan "Writers — Their Literary Importance — The Three Great Names. — 5. The Poetry of Spenser and Shakspeare — The Eloquence of Hooker. — Eeign of James. 6. Its Social and Literary Character — Distinguished Names — Bacon — Theologians — Poets. — The Two following Eras. 7. Political and Ecclesiastical Changes — Effects on Thinking — Effects on Poetry — Milton's Youth. — 8. Moral Aspect of the Time- Effects on Literatm-e. — Eeign of Charles. 9. Literary Events — Poetry — Eloquence — Theologians — Erudition. — The Commonwealth and Pro- "tectorate. 10. Literary Events — Poetry Checked — Modem Symptoms — Philosophy — Hobbes — Theology — Hall, Taylor, and Baxter. — 11. Eloquence — Milton's Prose Works — Modern Symptoms — Style of the Old English Prose Writers ..... Page 195

Chapter IV

THE AGE OF SPENSEE, SHAKSPEAEE, BACON, AND MILTON. A. D. 1558— A. D. 1660.

Section Second : The Scholastic And Ecclesiastical Literature

Erudition, Classical and Ecclesiastical. 1. General State of Ecclesiastical Learning — Eminent Names — Eaynolds — Andrewes — Usher — Classical Studies — Camden and Selden— Latin Prose and Verse. — Translations OF the Holy Bible. 2. The Geneva Bible — Whittingham — The Bishops' Bible— Parker. — 3. King James's Bible — Its History — The Translators— Its Universal Eeception. — Original Theological Writi INGS. 4. The Elizabethan Period — Hooker's Ecclesiastical, orks.— 9- Reign of James — Sermons of Bishop Andrewes— Sermons of I Page 288

Reign of Charles — Hall and Taylor compared. — 6. Bishop Hall — His Sermons — His other Works. — 7. Jeremy Taylor — His Treatises — His Sermons — Character of his Eloquence. — 8. The Commonwealth and Protectorate — Controrersial Writings — The Puritans — Eichard Baxter — His Life and Works ...... Page 213

CHAPTER Y.

THE AGE OF SPENSEE, SHAKSPEAEE, BACON, AND MILTON. A.D. 1558— A. D. 1660.

Section Third : The Miscellaneous Prose Literature

SEjn-THEOLOGiCAL Wbiteks. 1. Fullcr's Works — Cudworth — Henry More. — Philosophical Wkitees. 2. Lord Bacon— The Design of his Philosophy—His Two Problems— His Chief Works.— 3. Hobhes— His Political and Social Theories — His Ethics — His Psychology — His Style. — Historical Wkiteks. 4. Social and Political Theories — Antiquaries — Historians — Ealeigh — Milton's History of England — His Historical and Polemical Tracts— His Style.— Miscellaneous Wkitees. 5. Writers of Voyages and Travels — Literary Critics — Sir Philip Sidney's Defence of Poesy — Eomances and Novels — Sidney's Arcadia — Short Novels — Greene — ^Lyly — Pamphlets — Controversy on the Stage — Martin Mar-Prelate — Smectymnuus. — 6. Essays describing Chai'acters — Didactic Essays — Bacon — Selden — Burton — Browne — Cowley . . Page 232

Section Fourth : The Dramatic Poetry

Inteoduction. 1. The Drama a Species of Poetry — Eecitation of Narrative Poems and Plays — Effects of Eecitation on the Character of the Works — Eelations of Prose and Verse to Poetry. — 2. The Eegular and Irregular Schools of Dramatic Ai-t — The French Eules — The Unities of Time and Place— Their Principle— Their Effects.— 3. The Unity of Action— Its Principle — Its Eelations to the Other Unities — The Union of Tragedy and Comedy. — Shakspeaee and the Old English Deama. 4. Its Four Stages. — 6. The First Stage — Shakspeare's Predecessors and Earliest Works — Marlowe — Greene. — 6. Shakspeare's Earliest Histories and Comedies — Character of the Early Comedies.— 7. The Second Stage— Shakspeare's Later Histories — His Best Comedies. — 8. The Third Stage — Shakspeare's Great Tragedies — His Latest Works.— 9. Estimate of Shakspeare's Genius. — Minoe Deamatic Poets. 10. Shakspeare's Contemporaries — Their Genius — Their Morality. — 11. Beaumont and Flet- ,cher.— 12. Ben Jonson.— 13. Minor Dramatists— Middleton— Webster — 6. Eerixcid— Dekker. — 14. The Fourth Stage of the Drama — Massinger — Cast— Th irley— Moral Declension . . . Page 250

CHAPTEE VII.

THE AGE OF SPENSEE, SHAKSPEAEE, BACON, AND MILTON.

Section Fifth : The Non-dramatic Poetry

Spenser's Poetet. 1. His Genius — His Minor Poems. — 2. Spenser's Faerie Queene — Its Design. — 3. Allegories of the Faerie Queene — Its Poetical Character. — 4. The Stories of the Six Books of the Faerie Queene. — Minor Poets. 5. The Great Variety in the Kinds of Poetry — Classification of them. — 6. Metrical Translations — Marlowe — Chapman— Fairfax — Sandys. — 7. Historical Narrative Poems — Shakspeare — Daniel — Drayton — Giles and Phineas Fletcher. — 8. Pastorals— Pastoral Dramas of Fletcher and Jonson — "Warner — Drayton — Wither — Browne. — 9. Descriptive Poems — Drayton's Poly-Olhion — Didactic Poems — Lord Brooke and Davies — Herbert and Quarles— Poetical Satires — Hall — Marston — Donne. — 10. Earlier Lyrical Poems — Shakspeare, Fletcher, and Jonson — Ballads — Sonnets of Drummond and Daniel. — 11. Lyrical Poems of the Metaphysical School — Donne and Cowley — Lyrics and other Poems of a Modern Cast — Denham and Waller.— Milton's Poetry. 12. His Life and Works.— 13. His Minor Poems — L'Allegro and II Penseroso — Comus — Lycidas — Ode on the Nativity—Later Poems— Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes. — 14. The Paradise Lost ......

Chapter VIII. The Age Of The Eestoeation And The Eevolution

1. Social and Literary Character of the Period. — Prose. 2. Theology — Leighton — Sermons of South, Tillotson, and Barrow — Nonconformist Divines — Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress — The Philosophy of Locke — Bentley and Classical Learning. — 3. Antiquaries and Historians — Lord Clarendon's History — Bishop Burnet's Histories. — 4. Miscellaneous Prose — Walton — Evelyn— L'Estrange — Butler and Marvell — John Dryden's Prose Writings— His Style— His Critical Opinions— Temple's Essays. — Poetry. 5. Dramas — Their Character — French Influences — Dryden's Plays— Tragedies of Lee, Otwj y, and Southerne— The Prose Comedies —Their Moral Foulness. — 6. j.^oetry Not Dramatic— Its Didactic and Satiric Character— Inferences.— 7. Minor Poets— Eoscommon— Marvell —Butler's Hudibras— Prior — i. John Dryden's Life and Works.— 9- Dryden's Poetical Character .... Page 288

Section First : The Literary Character And Changes Of The Period

1. Character of the Period as a Whole — Its Eelations to Our Own Time.— 2. Literary Character of its First Generation — The Age of Queen Anne and George I. — 3. Literary Character of its Second and Third Generations — From the Accession of George II. — 4. The Prose Style of the First Generation — Addison — Swift. — 5. The Prose Style of the Second and Third Generations — Johnson . . . Page 306

Section Second : The Literature Of The First Generation

Poetry. 1. The Drama — Non-Dramatic Poetry — Its Artificial Character — Minor Poets. — 2. Alexander Pope — Characteristics of his Genius and Poetry. — 3. Pope's "Works — His Early Poems — Poems of Middle Age — His Later Poems. — Peose. 4. Theologians — Philosophers — Clarke's Natural Theology — Bishop Berkeley's Idealism — Shaftesbury — Bolingbroke. — 5. Miscellaneous Prose — Occasional Writings — Defoe and Eobinson Crusoe — Swift's Works and Literary Character — Other Prose Satires. — 6. The Periodical Essayists — Addison and Steele — The Spectator — Its Character — Its Design ..... Page 313

Section Third : The Literature Of The Second Generation

Prose. 1. Theology — Warburton — Bishop Sutler's Analogy — Watts and Doddridge — Philosophy — Butler's Ethical System — The Metaphysics of David Hume — Jonathan Edwards — Fran'din.— 2. Miscellaneous Prose — Minor Writers — New Series of Periodical J i^ssays — Magazines and Eeviews. — 3. Samuel Johnson— His Life— His L-.terary Character. — 4. Johnson's Works.— 5. The Novelists— Their Morrl Faultiness.— Poetry. 6. The Drama — Non-Dramatic Poetry — Else ir'. Poetical Tone — Didactic Poems — Johnson — Young — Akenside — Nan-ative and Descriptive Poems — Thomson's Seasons. — 7. Poetical Taste cf the Public — Lyrical Poems of Gray and Collins . . . . . . Page 329