NOTE.--Titles of words in _italics_ indicate that they are poetic or
dramatic.
I. THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD, 449-1066
==================+======================+============================
AUTHOR AND DATES | REPRESENTATIVE WORKS | LITERARY CHARACTERISTICS
------------------+----------------------+----------------------------
Unknown |_Traveller’s Song_ |Illustrates the sentiment of
700 | |a wandering singer and the
| |Anglo-Saxon’s love of home.
| |
UNKNOWN |_Beowulf_ |An epic song, illustrating
| |the powerful imagination of
| |the race.
| |
UNKNOWN |Anglo-Saxon Chronicle |Contains in addition to
700-1154 | |historical data, one or two
| |war-songs: Battle of Malden,
| |etc.
| |
CAEDMON |_Paraphrase of |Showing how strong an appeal
600-? |Scripture_ |the Bible Story made to the
| |reverence of the race.
| |
BEDE |Ecclesiastical |Inspired by early Christian
673-735 |History; _Poems_ |sentiment.
| |
Unknown |_Judith_ |Paraphrase of Bible
710-? | |narrative.
| |
CYNEWULF |_Poems_ |Serious poems of moral
750-? | |simplicity and power.
| |
Alfred the Great |_Translations_ |Some original matter inter-
849-901 | |polated, e. g., narrative of
| |Othere, versified by Long-
| |fellow.
| |
Alcuin |Letters, Biographies; |Friend of Charlemagne. Wrote
735-804 |_Christ_, _Elene |a comparatively pure Latin.
|Andreas_, _etc._ |
| |
Ælfric |Homilies, Grammar |Writings in Latin; a man of
955-1020 | |power and sincerity.
| |
II. THE NORMAN-FRENCH PERIOD, 1066-1400
| |
William of |History of Kings of |Of some value as an
Malmesbury |England |original.
1095-1142 | |
| |
Geoffrey of |History of English |Largely legendary. The
Monmouth |Kings |stories are rehashed in sub-
1154 | |sequent authors down to
| |Spenser, Shakespeare and
| |Milton.
| |
Wace, Richard |_Romance of Rollo_; |In reality a French trouvere
1112-1184 |_Brut d’Angleterre_ |though a subject of the King
| |of England. First mention of
| |Arthur’s Round Table.
| |
Mapes, Walter |De Nugus Curialium; |First mention of the Holy
1143-1210 |_Queste de Saint |Grail.
|Graal_, _etc._ |
| |
LAYAMON |_Chronicles of |A devout priest and the
1150-1210 |Britain_ |first to make the new
| |English a literary medium.
| |
Orm |_Ormulum_ |Also English. Some of the
1187-1237 |(_paraphrase_) |homilies are simple and
| |touching expressions of
| |devotion.
| |
Bacon, Roger |Natural Science |A man in advance of his age,
1214-1294 |Philosophy |he is said to have
| |anticipated Francis Bacon in
| |making experiment the basis
| |of knowledge.
| |
Gloucester, Robert|_Chronicle of England_|Valuable for giving outlines
of | |of history of Norman
13th Century | |England.
| |
Mandeville, Sir |Travels |Possibly a pen-name. His
John | |travels are an extraordinary
1300-1371 | |farrago of invention and
| |report.
| |
Barbour, John |_The Bruce_ |Spirited and patriotic,
1316-1395 | |loved by true Scotchmen.
| |
Langland, William |_Piers, the Plowman_ |Extraordinary man of broad
1330-1400 | |humanity. First expression
| |of the voice of the poor.
| |
Wycliffe, John |Translation of Bible |A man of great power and
1324-1384 | |sincerity. A philosopher and
| |scholar.
| |
Gower, John |_Ballads_; _Lover’s |Friend of Chaucer. A volumi-
1325-1408 |Confession_ |nous poet, not of high rank.
| |
CHAUCER, GEOFFREY |_Canterbury Tales_; |A scholar. A poet of chival-
1330-1400 |_Short poems_ |ry and a witty narrator of
| |stories in verse. Introduced
| |French and Italian metres.
| |Equally eminent in descrip-
| |tion and characterization.
| |
III. ENGLISH PERIOD TO THE TIME OF ELIZABETH, 1400-1559
| |
JAMES I. OF |_The King’s Quhair_, |A decided poetic talent in
SCOTLAND |(_Choir, etc._) |the chivalric fashion.
1394-1437 | |
| |
MALORY, SIR THOMAS|_Morte d’Arthur_ |Worked over a large part of
1430 | |the Arthurian legends in
| |prose. The original for
| |Tennyson’s “Idylls of the
| |King.”
| |
Caxton, William |The Game of Chess; |Introduced the Art of print-
1422-1492 |Translation of the |ing, brought out Malory’s
|Æneid |book and made and published
| |many translations and
| |adaptations.
| |
Dunbar, William |_Thistle and Rose_; |The Scotch Chaucer; much in-
1460-1530 |_Golden Terge_ |ferior to Chaucer and less
| |of a popular poet.
| |
MORE, SIR THOMAS |Utopia, Life of Edward|A man of fine character.
1478-1535 |V. |“Utopia” first written in
| |Latin and translated into
| |nervous English. Plan
| |suggested, perhaps, by
| |Plato’s “Republic.”
| |
TYNDALE, WILLIAM |Translation of Bible |On his translations of the
1484-1536 | |Scriptures, later versions
| |are founded.
| |
Wyntoun, Andrew |_Chronicle of |Story of Wallace. Much
15th Century |Scotland_ |admired by Walter Scott.
| |
IV. THE ELIZABETHAN AND PURITAN PERIODS, 1559-1660
| |
WYATT, SIR THOMAS |_Sonnets and Lyrics_ |Introduced with Howard the
1503-1542 | |Italian forms; sonnet and
| |madrigal, made Italian
| |literature a new force in
| |England.
| |
HOWARD, HENRY, |_Translation of the |Introduced Italian forms and
EARL OF SURREY |Aeneid_; _Songs and |blank verse.
1517-1547 |Sonnets_ |
| |
Foxe, John |Book of Martyrs |His book had great influence
1517-1587 | |in strengthening the
| |reformers and was one of the
| |literary influences on the
| |Puritans who came to
| |America.
| |
Sackville, Thomas |_Mirror for |A poet of force and imagina-
1536-1608 |Magistrate_ |tion. Afterwards, as Lord
| |Buckhurst, a courtier and
| |politician, worked in col-
| |laboration with others and
| |had a hand in first English
| |Tragedy.
| |
SPENCER, EDMUND |_Fairie Queen_; |Called the “poet’s poet.”
1552-1599 |_Shepherd’s Calendar_ |Great in romantic allegory,
| |the ode, and the sonnet.
| |
Raleigh, Sir |History of the World |A politician and adventurer;
Walter | |friend of Spenser. Some fine
1552-1618 | |passages in his work.
| |
Hooker, Richard |Ecclesiastical Polity |His prose has dignity and
1553-1600 | |force. His book is the
| |authority for the Church of
| |England.
| |
BACON, FRANCIS |Essays, Novum Organum |Many beautiful and acute
1561-1626 | |things in his essays and his
| |philosophical works.
| |
SHAKESPEARE, WM. |_Dramas_, _Sonnets_, |Compounded of all writers
1564-1616 |(_37 plays_) |best: wit, humor, character-
| |izations, philosophy,
| |musical phrase, power and
| |construction.
| |
Chapman, George |_Translation of Homer_|Full of vigor and verve,
1559-1634 | |especially his Homer.
| |
JONSON, BEN |_The Alchemist_; |A scholar and literary man.
1574-1637 |_Sejanus_; _Timber_, |A learned constructor of
|_etc._ |plays, had also the true
| |lyrical faculty.
| |
| |}Well constructed plays but
BEAUMONT, FRANCIS |_Dramas_: _Philaster_;|}of a decidedly low moral
1584-1616 |_Maid_ |}tone. Beaumont is supposed
| |}to have been the more
FLETCHER, JOHN |_Tragedy_: _Woman |}promising but died before
1579-1625 |Hater_; _etc._ |}Fletcher, who continued to
| |}produce plays alone, about
| |}forty.
| |
Burton, Robert |Anatomy of Melancholy |Full of out-of-the-way
1577-1640 | |learning and quotations
| |bearing on the subject.
| |
Herbert, George |_The Temple_, _etc._ |Animated by a devotional
1593-1633 | |spirit and an aesthetic
| |spiritualism.
| |
HERRICK, ROBERT |_Poems_ |Lyrics, many of them of
1591-1674 | |charming quality and in-
| |genious construction.
| |
Walton, Isaak |The Compleat Angler |Prose of a delightful char-
1593-1683 | |acter, full of simple piety
| |and love of out-door nature.
| |
Fuller, Thomas |Church History of |A chronicle, with passages
1608-1661 |England, etc. |of wit or natural pathos.
| |
MILTON, JOHN |Areopagitica: |A poet, grave, learned, of
1608-1674 |_L’Allegro and Il |mental dignity but gifted
|Penseroso_; _Comus_; |with musical power as much
|_Paradise Lost_; |as Shakespeare.
|_Paradise Regained_, |
|_etc._ |
| |
Taylor, Jeremy |Holy Living, etc. |The “Shakespeare of
1613-1667 | |Divines.” Passages of rare
| |poetic beauty and organ-like
| |volume.
| |
Baxter, Richard |Saint’s Rest |One of the “Vade mecums” of
1615-1691 | |the later Puritans. Earnest
| |and sincere.
| |
V. PERIOD OF THE RESTORATION TO THE RISE OF THE NOVEL, 1660-1740
| |
BUNYAN, JOHN |Pilgrim’s Progress; |Simple, idiomatic, with pas-
1628-1688 |Holy War |sages of rare beauty. Ani-
| |mated by simple, natural
| |piety. A classic too much
| |neglected.
| |
BUTLER, SAMUEL |_Hudibras_ |A rhyming jingle, destitute
1612-1680 | |of elevation but with here
| |and there a witty couplet.
| |Anti-Puritan throughout--
| |favorite book of Charles II.
| |
DRYDEN, JOHN |_Virgil Translated_; |A fine critic. The father of
1631-1700 |_St. Cecilia’s Day_, |fluent prose. Many energetic
|_etc._ |lines of verse, especially
| |in his satires. A man of
| |fine talent but limited
| |genius.
| |
Pepys, Samuel |Diary |His Diary, not intended to
1633-1703 | |be public, throws light on
| |the life and habits of a
| |capable business man of the
| |18th century.
| |
LOCKE, JOHN |On Human Under- |A sound, practical thinker,
1632-1704 |standing; Essays; |whose works illustrate the
|Thoughts on Education,|common sense and unspiritual
|etc. |tone of his age.
| |
NEWTON, SIR ISAAC |Principia, etc. |A great mathematician, he
1642-1727 | |laid the foundation of our
| |understanding of the
| |mechanical structure of the
| |universe.
| |
DEFOE, DANIEL |Robinson Crusoe |A born story-teller and
1661-1731 | |pamphleteer.
| |
SWIFT, JONATHAN |Tale of a Tub; |Unequalled as a satirist,
1667-1745 |Gulliver’s Travels |and writer of allegories, in
| |simple, nervous, idiomatic
| |English.
| |
STEELE, SIR |Essays (established |A good second to Addison.
RICHARD |the Tatler) |
1672-1729 | |
| |
ADDISON, JOSEPH |Essays in The Tatler |Originator of the Social
1672-1719 |and The Spectator |essay marked by kindly,
| |gentlemanlike humor in the
| |urbane style.
| |
Berkeley, Bishop |Philosophy |A very acute thinker.
1684-1753 | |English founder of one form
| |of idealism.
| |
Young, Edward |_Night Thoughts_ |Rather a ponderous poet, on
1683-1765 | |semi-doctrinal subjects.
| |
POPE, ALEXANDER |_Essays on Man_, |The model poet of his time
1688-1744 |_etc._ |and century. Used the deca-
| |syllabic couplet almost ex-
| |clusively, but imparted to
| |it vigor, pungency and some
| |variety.
| |
Butler, Bishop |Natural and Revealed |The orthodox moralist of his
1692-1752 |Religion |day, ponderous in style and
| |commonplace in method.
| |
Carey, Henry |_Sally in our Alley_, |A light gift of doggerel
1700-1743 |_etc._ |satire.
| |
Thompson, James |_The Seasons_, _etc._ |A delicate feeling for the
1700-1748 | |quieter aspects of nature,
| |harmoniously expressed.
| |
VI. RISE OF THE NOVEL AND PERIOD OF ROMANTICISM, 1740-1837
| |
RICHARDSON, SAMUEL|Clarissa Harlowe; |Sentimentally moral, but
1689-1761 |Pamela; Sir Chas. |gifted with the story-
|Grandison |telling faculty.
| |
FIELDING, HENRY |Tom Jones; Amelia; |Depicts life broadly and
1707-1754 |Jonathan Wild, etc. |faithfully. The first great
| |realistic novelist.
| |
JOHNSON, SAMUEL |Dictionary; Rasselas; |A man of eighteenth century
1709-1784 |Lives of the Poets |learning and letters. The
| |critical authority of his
| |day.
| |
HUME, DAVID |History of England |The first learned historian
1711-1776 | |of England. A philosopher of
| |acumen.
| |
Sterne, Laurence |Tristram Shandy; |A writer in whom affectation
1713-1768 |Sentimental Journey |becomes an art. Some
| |pathetic passages have
| |become classic.
| |
GRAY, THOMAS |_Elegy in Country |A scholar-poet. Production
1716-1771 |Churchyard_, _etc._ |limited, but of fine work-
| |manship.
| |
SMOLLET, T. GEORGE|Humphrey Clinker, |Originator of the Sea-Story.
1721-1771 |Roderick Random, etc. |Inclined to vulgar coarse-
| |ness.
| |
Akenside, Mark |_Pleasures of the |A man of scholarship and
1721-1770 |Imagination_ |culture, who wrote poetry
| |without a decided gift.
| |
SMITH, ADAM |Wealth of Nations |The first great economist.
1723-1790 | |The moderns hardly equal to
| |him in natural keenness of
| |insight.
| |
GOLDSMITH, OLIVER |Vicar of Wakefield; |A true and graceful touch
1728-1774 |Essays; _She Stoops to|both in prose and poetry.
|Conquer_; _Deserted |Makes hack-work literature.
|Village_, _etc._ |Supposed to be the original
| |compiler of “Mother Goose’s
| |Melodies.”
| |
BLACKSTONE, SIR |Commentaries on Laws |Learned and careful, with
WILLIAM |of England |conception of the dignity of
1723-1780 | |law.
| |
BURKE, EDMUND |Essays, Orations |Prose, sometimes musical and
1729-1797 | |poetical and at the same
| |time, a statesman’s grasp of
| |principle.
| |
GIBBON, EDWARD |Decline and Fall |A pains-taking and learned
1737-1794 |of Roman Empire |historian. Constructive
| |powers of broad scope.
| |
Boswell, James |Life of Samuel Johnson|The true reporter’s instinct
1740-1795 | |for the point of a story.
| |Otherwise, a toady.
| |
COWPER, WILLIAM |_The Task_; _John |Divests poetry of the affec-
1731-1800 |Gilpin_; _etc._ |tations of Pope. Writes on
| |simple themes.
| |
Paley, William |Evidence of Christian-|A cognent reasoner on the
1743-1805 |ity, Natural Theology |old premises.
| |
More, Hannah |Coelebs in Search of a|Something of a minor poet,
1745-1833 |Wife; _Sacred Dramas_ |something of a dramatist and
| |story-teller.
| |
SHERIDAN, RICHARD |Speeches; The Rivals; |Writer of witty dialogue and
B. |School for Scandal; |constructor of telling stage
1751-1816 |Song; etc. |situations. Comedies still
| |acted.
| |
BURNS, ROBERT |_Cotter’s Saturday |Lyrics, songs and satires in
1759-1796 |Night_, _etc._ |Scotch dialect, marked by
| |music, pathos and wit.
| |
Edgeworth, Maria |Popular Tales, etc. |Stories of middle-class
1767-1849 | |domestic life of excellent
| |moral tone and some power of
| |characterization.
| |
WORDSWORTH, WM. |_The Excursion_; |Nature poems and descriptive
1770-1850 |_Poems_ |poems. Many fine sonnets.
| |First expression of modern
| |feeling for nature.
| |
Hogg, James |Shepherd’s Calendar; |Scotch verses. One or two
1770-1835 |_Pastorals_ |lyrics of sweetness and
| |simplicity.
| |
Montgomery, James |_Hymns_, _Poems_ |A man universally esteemed;
1771-1854 | |best remembered now for his
| |hymns of which some hundred
| |are found in our Hymnals.
| |
SCOTT, SIR WALTER |Waverly Novels, etc.; |Originator of the historical
1771-1832 |_Lady of the Lake_, |novel. Tone natural and
|_etc._ |wholesome. Secure in the
| |estimation of posterity.
| |
Smith, Sidney |Sermons, Essays, etc. |A witty divine. Master of
1771-1845 | |the expository style.
| |
COLERIDGE, SAMUEL |Essays; _Rhyme of |A man of remarkable gifts,
T. |Ancient Mariner_, |both intellectual and
1772-1834 |_etc._ |poetic; a natural master of
| |verbal melody.
| |
SOUTHEY, ROBERT |Biographies of Nelson,|A man of industry and worth.
1774-1843 |Wesley; _Poems_, |Better as a prose stylist
|_etc._ |than a poet.
| |
LAMB, CHARLES |Essays of Elia, etc. |A quaint and delicate
1775-1834 | |essayist-- friend of
| |Coleridge.
| |
LANDOR, WALTER |Imaginary Conversa- |Classic scholar and writer.
SAVAGE |tions, etc. _Count |Reactionary and old-
1775-1864 |Julian_; _Heroic |fashioned in his thought but
|Idyls_, _etc._ |a remarkable stylist.
| |
AUSTEN, JANE |Pride and Prejudice, |Her novels depicting upper
1775-1817 |Emma, etc. |middle-class life are
| |delightfully realistic and
| |full of quiet life.
| |
PORTER, JANE |Scottish Chiefs, |Novels in an antiquated
1776-1850 |Thaddeus of Warsaw |style of exaggerated
| |romance.
| |
CAMPBELL, THOMAS |_Pleasures of Hope_, |Something of a critic, his
1777-1844 |_Lyrics_, _etc._ |lyrics have much vigor and
| |verve.
| |
HALLAM, HENRY |Europe during Middle |Strong, vigorous, historical
1777-1859 |Ages, Introduction to |writing from a standpoint
|Literature, Constitu- |now antiquated.
|tional History of |
|England |
| |
Hazlitt, William |Table Talk, English |Critical essays; contain
1778-1830 |Poets, etc. |some true eloquence, and
| |many powerful phrases.
| |
Moore, Thomas |Biographies; _Lalla |Songs of much melody, but of
1779-1852 |Rookh_, _Irish |an unreal sentimentality.
|Melodies_, _etc._ |
| |
De Quincey, Thomas|Confessions of an |Passages of magnificent
1785-1859 |Opium Eater, etc. |color. A learned man,
| |lacking in sound realistic
| |judgment.
| |
Hunt, Leigh |Essays, Sketches, |A minor poet. A literateur
1784-1859 |Memoirs; _Poems_ |of appreciation rather than
| |of creative power.
| |
Wilson, John |Noctes Ambrosiannae, |A virile man. As a writer,
1785-1854 |etc.; _Poems_ |“of his age, not for all
| |time” nor indeed for an
| |entire century.
| |
Peacock, Thos. L. |Crotchet Castle, |A literatteur, novel writer,
1785-1866 |Rododaphne, etc. |and verse writer of wit and
| |epigrammatic power but no
| |constructor.
| |
Byron, Lord |_Poems_ |Vigorous, eloquent,
1788-1824 | |sardonic, iconoclastic,
| |lacking in divine sympathy.
| |A great satirist, and in
| |many regards a great poet.
| |
SHELLEY, PERCY |_Queen Mab_, |A remarkable gift of lyrical
BYSSHE |_Adonais_, _The Sky |melody. Full of generous
1792-1822 |Lark_, _etc._ |impulse and the unbalanced
| |judgment of youth. A genius.
| |
Marryat, Capt. |Peter Simple, Jacob |Boy’s stories but evincing
Fred |Faithful, etc. |considerable narrative
1792-1848 | |skill.
| |
Hemans, Felicia |_Lyrics_ |A minor poet of grace,
1793-1835 | |sweetness and tenderness.
| |
GROTE, GEORGE |History of Greece |A learned and sound histori-
1794-1871 | |an, but superseded by modern
| |exact research.
| |
Arnold, Thomas |Roman History, |A man of wide influence as
1795-1842 |Sermons, Essays |head-master of Rugby. An
| |historian of the old school.
| |
KEATS, JOHN |_Endymion_, |A true poet, dying too young
1795-1821 |_Hyperion_, _etc._ |to reach full fruition of
| |his remarkable artistic
| |powers.
| |
Pollock, Robert |_Course of Time_ |A poet, sound, serious and
1798-1827 | |heavy; suits Scotch theo-
| |logians.
| |
Hood, Thomas |_Poems_ |A humorous poet of the first
1798-1845 | |rank; some pathetic verses
| |of high quality.
| |
VII. THE VICTORIAN PERIOD TO THE PRESENT, 1837- ----
| |
Lover, Samuel |Handy Andy, Rory |A writer of slap-dash Irish
1797-1868 |O’More; _Songs_, |and other good stories.
|_Ballads_ |
| |
CARLYLE, THOMAS |French Revolution, |A very great though one-
1795-1881 |Cromwell, etc. |sided man. A prose poet, an
| |historian of insight and
| |industry, impatient of
| |shams.
| |
MACAULAY, THOMAS |Essays, History of |He makes history alive and
B. |England; _Lays of |readable. A partisan but on
1800-1859 |Ancient Rome_ |the right side.
| |
James, G. P. R. |Novels (historical) |Historical novels of an an-
1801-1860 | |tiquated pattern, popular in
| |their day for good reasons.
| |
Miller, Hugh |Old Red Sandstone, |A self-made scientific
1802-1856 |Schools and School- |geologist, who did good
|masters, etc. |service in popularizing
| |science.
| |
Praed, Winthrop |_The Vicar_; _The Red |The best writer of “Society
Mackworth |Fisherman_ |Verse,” urbane, cultured,
1802-1839 | |witty. His verses are
| |beautifully finished.
| |
Martineau, Harriet|Political Economy, |A woman of remarkably strong
1802-1876 |etc. |intellect. Her positions
| |well argued but perhaps too
| |radical.
| |
LYTTON, SIR EDWARD|Last Days of Pompeii, |A versatile and successful
BULWER |Last of the Barons, |literatteur, successful in
1803-1873 |etc. |several forms of the novel,
| |but pre-eminent in none.
| |
Disraeli, Benjamin|Lothair, Vivian Grey, |Society novels eminently
1804-1881 |etc. |readable but thoroughly
| |artificial.
| |
MARTINEAU, JAMES |Philosophical Works, |A philosophical thinker of
1805-1900 |etc. |insight and honesty.
| |
MILL, JOHN STUART |Political Economy |Of thorough intellectual
1806-1873 | |honesty and diamond-clear
| |intellect, he furthered the
| |cause of political justice
| |and personal freedom.
| |
Lever, Charles |Tom Burker, Charles |Irish tales full of pith and
1806-1872 |O’Malley, etc. |spirit.
| |
DARWIN, CHARLES |Origin of Species, |Lucid and attractive in
1809-1882 |Descent of Man |style, and an unflinching
| |lover of truth; he has had a
| |greater influence on thought
| |than any man of his time.
| |
Milnes, Richard |Life and Remains of |A man of culture not without
Monckton (Lord |Keats; _Poems, |distinction as a minor poet.
Houghton) |legendary and |A true lover of literature.
1809-1885 |historical_ |
| |
FitzGerald, Edward|Euphranor, etc.; _The |The Rubaiyat is the only
1809-1883 |Rubaiyat_ |instance where a translation
| |of a classic equals the
| |original.--FitzGerald was
| |one of the last of the
| |“Letter Writers.”
| |
BROWNING, |_Aurora Leigh_, |A pleasing lyrical gift and
ELIZABETH BARRETT |_Poems_ |warm, human sympathy made
1806-1861 | |her a favorite poetess in
| |the Victorian era.
| |
TENNYSON, ALFRED |_In Memoriam_, _Idyls |The national poet of the
1809-1892 |of the King_ |late 19th century; a pains-
| |taking artist and master of
| |verbal melody.
| |
Kinglake, Alex. |Eothen |A brilliant historian of the
William | |Crimean war.
1809-1890 | |
| |
Gaskell, Elizabeth|Cranford, Mary Barton,|A writer of charming quiet
1810-1865 |etc. |feminine humor. One of the
| |first to make the economic
| |problems the basis of a
| |story.
| |
THACKERAY, WILLIAM|Vanity Fair, The |Satirist and humorist, but
MAKEPEACE |Newcomes |with great powers of char-
1811-1863 | |acterization, especially of
| |the every-day social
| |elements.
DICKENS, CHARLES |David Copperfield, |A broader humorist than
1812-1870 |Oliver Twist, etc. |Thackeray, appealing to the
| |common human sympathies and
| |the ordinary sense of the
| |ridiculous.
| |
BROWNING, ROBERT |_Dramatic Lyrics_, |A powerful poet, intent more
1812-1889 |_Poems_, _The Ring and|on subtlety than lucidity,
|the Book_ |intellectual rather than
| |sympathetic.
| |
Reade, Charles |Peg Woffington, |A vigorous narrator,
1814-1884 |Cloister and Hearth, |animated by hatred of in-
|etc. |justice. Analysis of human
| |motives, superficial.
| |
Rawlinson, George |Five Great Monarchies |A learned Assyrian and
1815-1902 | |Oriental scholar.
| |
Trollope, Anthony |Barchester Towers, |Admirably realistic presen-
1815-1882 |etc. |tation of English society,
| |political and ecclesiasti-
| |cal.
| |
Froude, James |History of England |A brilliant prose writer,
Anthony | |makes history human and
1818-1894 | |interesting and suggestive.
| |
KINGSLEY, CHARLES |Hypatia, etc.; _Poems_|His novels, in spite of
1819-1875 | |slight affectations and a
| |taint of sentimentality, are
| |vigorous and wholesome.
| |
RUSKIN, JOHN |Stones of Venice, |A great stylist. As art-
1819-1900 |Modern Painters |critic too subjective and
| |governed by the moral sug-
| |gestiveness of the object.
| |As political economist, too
| |idealistic and regardless of
| |human nature.
| |
Bronte, Charlotte |Jane Eyre, The Profes-|Great power in her novels
1816-1855 |sor, etc. |which, however, are based on
| |narrow experience.
| |
SPENCER, HERBERT |First Principles, etc.|Applied principle of evolu-
1820-1903 | |tion to sociology, history,
| |etc. A thinker, but
| |ponderous in style.
| |
ELIOT, GEORGE |Silas Marner, etc., |The greatest woman novelist.
1819-1880 |_Spanish Gypsy_, |A realist with insight.
|_Poems_ |Powers of wit and character-
| |ization; construction not
| |remarkable.
| |
TYNDALL, JOHN |Scientific Papers |Unsurpassed as a popularizer
1820-1893 | |of Darwin’s ideas, unless it
| |be by Huxley.
| |
ARNOLD, MATTHEW |Essays and Criticisms;|Critic and poet. Liberal in
1822-1888 |_Sohrab and Rustum_, |thought but dominated by
|_etc._ |aristocratic prejudice on
| |the literary side. As a
| |poet, inclined to despairing
| |pessimism; weak in the power
| |of verbal melody.
| |
Muller, Max |Science of Language, |Did much to spread knowledge
1823-1900 |etc. |of the general facts and
| |principles of philology and
| |Oriental learning.
| |
FREEMAN, EDWARD A.|Histories |A conscientious, honest,
1823-1892 | |painstaking historian,
| |destitute of the power to
| |make his subject interesting
| |except to himself.
| |
Hughes, Thomas |Tom Brown at Oxford, |A manly, breezy person, who
1823-1896 |etc. |wrote one good book for
| |boys.
| |
Collins, Wilkie |Woman in White, etc. |Unsurpassed as a constructor
1824-1889 | |of plots, i. e. born story-
| |teller, not misled by
| |psychological analysis.
| |
Macdonald, George |Sir Gibbie, Alec |Wrote many novels showing
1824-1905 |Forbes, etc. |some power of writing dia-
| |logue. Essentially of his
| |day.
| |
HUXLEY, THOMAS |Man’s Place in Nature |A master of exposition and,
HENRY | |with Tyndall, very effective
1825-1895 | |in presenting the idea of
| |evolution.
| |
BLACKMORE, R. D. |Lorna Doone, etc. |Infused an element of
1825-1900 | |romance into the modern
| |novel, “Lorna Doone.”
| |
Bagehot, Walter |Physics and Politics |Original, sound, and
1826-1877 | |striking on political and
| |economic topics.
| |
Mulock, Dinah |John Halifax, etc. |Author of some twenty novels
Naria | |of which “John Halifax” is
1826-1887 | |the best. Also of pleasing
| |minor verse.
| |
Rossetti, Dante |_The Blessed Damozel_,|A highly imaginative poet; a
Gabriel |_etc._ |master of color in verse and
1828-1882 | |on canvas.
| |
Oliphant, Margaret|Chronicles of |Novels of middle-class life,
1828-1897 |Carlingford, etc. |of excellent tone, full of
| |quiet observation. Plots,
| |slight, but hold the atten-
| |tion.
| |
MEREDITH, GEORGE |The Egoist, Diana of |Novels of extraordinary
1828-1910 |the Crossways, etc. |power. Style epigrammatic
| |and not attractive.
| |
McCarthy, Justin |History of our own |A prolific journalist,
1830-1912 |Times, Novels |novelist and historian of
| |modern times.
| |
Ingelow, Jean |_Poems_, _High Tide on|A charming lyrical talent,
1820-1897 |Coast of Lincolnshire_|of limited productive power.
| |
Meredith, Owen |Biography of Bulwer |Fluent writer of light verse
1831-1891 |Lytton; _Lucile_ |and society verse.
| |
Arnold, Edwin |_Light of Asia_, |An able journalist and
1832-1904 |_Poems_ |prolific minor poet.
| |
Seeley, John |Ecce Homo, etc. |An able historical writer,
Robert | |his “Ecce homo” had con-
1834-1895 | |siderable influence on con-
| |temporary philosophies--
| |religious thought.
| |
MORRIS, WILLIAM |Essays on Art, etc.; |Prolific as a narrative
1834-1896 |_Poems_, _Earthly |poet, fond of classic and
|Paradise_ |medieval legends. As a poet,
| |more fluent than thoughtful.
| |
Hamerton, Philip |Intellectual Life |An excellent critic of
I. | |pictorial art and inter-
1834-1894 | |preter of French life and
| |character for Englishmen.
| |
Green, John |History of the English|Industrious and conscien-
Richard |People |tious, he viewed the
1837-1883 | |“History of the English
| |People” as something more
| |than a record of war and
| |politics. Clear and simple
| |as a stylist.
| |
SWINEBURNE, |_Poems_ |A poet of remarkable musical
ALGERNON CHAS., | |power, a master of headlong
1837-1909 | |but involved prose, a critic
| |of enthusiasm and eloquence,
| |caring little for principles
| |or reasoned judgment.
| |
BRYCE, JAMES |American Commonwealth,|A writer on politics of
1838- |Holy Roman Empire |great common sense and
| |statesmanlike scope. A
| |trustworthy authority.
| |
Besant, Walter |East London, etc., |A voluminous writer of
1838-1901 |Novels |novels, his History of
| |London is a real contribu-
| |tion of knowledge of the
| |past.
| |
Morley, John |English Men of Letters|A sound literary historian
1838- | |and critic and a thinker of
| |force and scope.
| |
Pater, Walter |Marius the Epicurean, |A wonderfully finished prose
Horatio |etc. |style which sometimes
1839-1891 | |diverts attention from the
| |justness and beauty of the
| |thought.
| |
Dobson, Henry |Vignettes in Rhyme, |The English Horace. An
Austin |Proverbs in Porcelain |authority on eighteenth
1840- | |century social and literary
| |life. Charming light verses.
| |
Hardy, Thomas |Tess of D’Urbeville, |Novels depicting country
1840- |etc., Novels |life. A writer of broad
| |humanity. His books possess
| |at once wit, realism and an
| |idyllic quality.
| |
Black, William |In Silk Attire, etc., |His stories have consider-
1841-1898 |Novels |able charm but not much
| |force. They depict Gaelic
| |Scotland pleasantly but
| |unconvincingly.
| |
Buchanan, Robert |Alone in London; |A minor poet and dramatist
W. |_Poems_ |of considerable output.
1841-1901 | |Known for his mistaken
| |attack on Rossetti in “The
| |Fleshly School of Poetry.”
| |
Stevenson, Robert |Essays, Novels; |Careful and finished as a
Louis |_Child’s Garden of |stylist, an excellent story-
1850-1894 |Verses_, _etc._ |teller: “Treasure Island”
| |and his Scottish Tales are
| |true classics.
| |
Zangwill, Israel |Novels, Dramas, Essays|As Jew, an exponent of the
1864- | |Zionistic movement. Success-
| |ful in the essay and
| |especially in the novels
| |depicting Jewish scenes and
| |characters.
| |
Kipling, Rudyard |Stories, Novels, |A vigorous, audacious, effi-
1865- |_Poems_ |cient writer. The most
| |original genius among
| |English literary men of
| |today.
| |
Phillips, Stephen |_Ulysses_, _Paolo and |A writer of lyric tragedies
1868- |Francesca_ |in blank verse, akin in
| |spirit to to the French
| |classic drama.
| |
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