Chambers's Cyclopædia of English Literature: A History, Critical and ...

PRE FACE.

The present work, the first of its kind in Great Britain, was originally published in 1843. It was designed and commenced by the late Dr ROBERT CHAMBERS—always zealous and indefatigable, as he was successful, in the promotion of literature and public improvement. The work was undertaken for the purpose of supplying what was considered a deficiency in the literature addressed at that time to the great body of the people-namely, a chronological series of extracts from our national authors

-a concentration of the best productions of English intellect, from Anglo-Saxon to recent times, set, as it were, in a popular biographical history of our literature. Great efforts had previously been made for the diffusion of useful knowledge, and for popularising scientific information ; but there was no work, at once cheap and comprehensive, which sought to bring the treasures of imaginative and historical literature within the reach of the busy mercantile and industrial classes of society. This CYCLOPÆDIA, which aimed at supplying the want, was received with great favour, both in this country and in America. Gratifying proofs of its usefulness have been received from various quarters and from numerous readers, who have acknowledged that their earliest love of literature, and their veneration for our great authors from CHAUCER to WORDSWORTH, were first called forth by the successive monthly parts of this work.

After the lapse of fifteen years, during which literature and literary information had greatly increased, a Second Edition of the CYCLOPÆDIA was issued, bringing it down to the year 1858. This edition also was highly successful.

A further interval of eighteen years having taken place, a Third Edition is now offered to the public, carefully revised, continuing the extracts and biographical notices to the present time. One distinguishing feature of this period has been the advance in American literature. The New World has nobly vindicated its claiın to be associated with the Old in the arts which dignify and adorn social life ; and there only wants an international law of copyright to completely assimilate and do equal justice to British and American authors.

It would have been impossible to have rendered the present work as complete as it now appears, without the sanction of living authors and publishers, proprietors of copyrights; and the great liberality and courtesy with which permission to make extracts has been granted, demands the grateful acknowledgments of the Editor and Publishers. It remains to be added that, for the revision of the second and third editions of the work, we have been indebted to ROBERT CARRUTHERS, LL.D., of Inverness, whose excellent literary knowledge and taste are conspicuously observable in the present improved edition.

W. & R. C.

EDINBURGH, March 1876.

CONTENTS OF FIRST VOLUME.

....

......

FIRST PERIOD.

PAGE

! Alexander Barclay (died in 1552)........

..................... 31

FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO 1400 A.D.

The Book Collector .....

PAGE

STEPHEN HAWES (Poet, 1506)...............

ENGLISH LANGUAGE-THE GAEL AND CYMRY.........

| The Temple of Mars .........

ANGLO-Saxon WRITERS .........

John Skelton (circa 1460—1529). .......................

Extracts from BEOWULF and JUDITH .....

A Satire on the Clergy.......

CEDMON, the Monk of Whitby.........

Cardinal Wolsey .............

Extracts from Cadmon's Creation .....

To Mrs Margaret Hussey......

ALFRED The Great (with Extracts)..

EARL OF SURREY (circa 1517--1546)

ALFRIC, CANUTE, THE SAXON CHRONICLE..

Sonnet on Geraldine ..................................
ODE ON THE BATTLE OF BRUNANBURH .....

Prisoner at Windsor.........

AXGLO-NORMAN OR SEMI-SAXON WRITERS.....

How no Age is Content......

WACE, LAYAMON, &c. (with Extracts)......

The Means to attain a Happy Life.....

THE OWL AND THE NIGHTINGALE ......

Extract from Translation of Virgil.......
SONG, 'Summer is Coming in'-Squire of Low Degree..... Sır Thomas WYATT (1503-1542) ..........

EARLY ENGLISH WRITERS ...............................

The Lover's Lute..... ...........

THOMAS OF ERCILDOUN-HAVELOK, THE DANE .......... The Re-cured Lover exulteth......

ROBERT OF GLOUCESTER ................................. Pleasure is mixed with every Pain.

England and the Normans about 1300.................

The Courtier's Life................

The Muster for the First Crusade...............

Of the Mean and Sure Estate .......

ROBERT DE BRUNNE...........

LORD Vaux (circa 1510-1557) and other Court Poets ....

Interview of Vortigern with Rowen ....................

On a Contented Mind......................

Praise of Good Women.............

Amantium Iræ Amoris Redintegratio Est................

Death of Edward I..........

Song by WILLIAM HUNNIS.................

LAWRENCE MINOT, RICHARD ROLLE, WILLIAM LANGLAND Praise of his Lady, by G. BOLEYN........

How Edward the King came to Brabant ...

Thomas Tusser (circa 1515-1580)......................

What is in Heaven........

Directions for cultivating a Hop-garden................

Extracts from Piers the Plowman...

Housewifely Physic.........

GEOFFREY CHAUCER (died in 1400)................

Moral Reflections on the Wind .........

Opening of the Canterbury Tales .....

The Knight, the Squire, the Prioress ....

The Monk, Friar, Franklin, Wise of Bath, Poor Parson ... 17

SCOTTISH POETS.

Extracts from the Tales of the Knight, the Man of Law,

the Franklin, and Wife of Bath.....

JAMES I. OF SCOTLAND (1394—1437)........................ 38

......

Good Counsel of Chaucer......

James I., a Prisoner in Windsor, first sees Lady Jane Beau-

fort, who afterwards was his Queen...................... 39

On Gathering and Using Riches..

Extract from Christ's Kirk of the Green.....
John GOWER (circa 1325–1408)....

BLIND HARRY (died after 1492)...............

Story of the Caskets ..................................

Storming of Dunnottar Castle......

SCOTTISH POETS....................

.... 41

Oldest Fragment of Scottish Poetry ..................

Adventure of Wallace while fishing in Irvine Water.......

The Ghost of Fawdoun...........

.... 41

JOHN BARBOUR (circa 1316—1395)...................

HOLLAND-ROBERT HENRYSON (died about 1490)..........
Apostrophe to Freedom. ..........

Extract from Robin and Makyne .....

Bruce's Address to his Army......

Extract from The Town and Country Mouse ...........

Death of Sir Henry de Bohun.......

A Summer Morning........................

Battle of Bannockburn......

WILLIAM DUNBAR (circa 1460-1520)..............

ANDREW WYSTOUN (died after 1420)...

The Merle and Nightingale..........

Macbeth and the Weird Sisters.....

The Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins.............

St Serf and Satan...

JOHN Fordun. (died about 1385). ......

Tidings fra' the Session.

Prose LITERATURE............

Gavin (or Gawain) DOUGLAS (circa 1474–1522).........

SIR JOHN DE MANDEVILLE (circa 1300—1372)........

Apostrophe to Honour .........

The Beginning of Mohammed.......

Description of Morning in May...

Sır David LYNDSAY (circa 1490--1555). ..................
Lecture on Christian Vices ........

JOHN DE TREvisa (translator, 1387).......

Extract from The Complaynt..............

Satire on the Syde Tails.......

JOHN WYCLIFFE (1324-1384)......................

Abuses of the Clergy......

........ 50

Gospel of St Mark, chap. i.......................

Speech of the Pardoner......

The Magnificat......................................

The Law's Delay...........

The Mendicant Friars .....

Walter KENNEDY, The MaiTLAND AND BANNATYNE MSS.,

&c ............

SECOND PERIOD.

BALLAD POETRY.

1400—1558: HENRY IV. TO QUEEN ELIZABETH.

....... 51

THOMAS Occleve (circa 1370—1454) ........................ 30 The Deaths of Douglas and Percy..........

JOHN LYDGATE (1373–1460) ..................

Sir Patrick Spens.....

.........

........................

....... 52

Description of a Silvan Retreat............................ 30 | The Nut-brown Maid ......................
The London Lyckpenny.......

..........

The Caberlunzie Man...

Sir PHILIP SIDNEY (1554-1586)..........................

PROSE LITERATURE.

Four Sonnets...............

.... 77

SIR JOHN FORTESCUE (1395–1485)..........

EDMUND SPENSER (circa 1553—1599).........

English Courage ........................

Una and the Red-cross Knight..

What Harm would come to England if the Commons were Poor? 54 Adventure of Una with the Lion...........

Bishop Pecock (circa 1390—1460)........

The Bower of Bliss...........

Sir THOMAS MALORY (Acts of King Arthur, 1469)........... 55

The House of Sleep..........

The Death of Sir Lancelot..............

Description of Belphabe......

WILLIAM CAXTON (circa 1412—1491)......

Fable of the Oak and the Brier

Account of Virgil..........

Extract from the Epithalamium .........

Legend of St Francis ...........

...... 56

Robert SOUTHWELL (1560-1595).

ENGLISH CHRONICLERS-ROBERT FABIAN (circa 1450–1512), The Image of Death......

and EDWARD HALL (circa 1499-1547).................... 56

The Burning Babe......................................

• Jack Cade's Insurrection........

Times go by Turns......................................

............ 56

Scene in the Council-room of the Protector Gloucester.......

WILLIAM WARNER (1558-1609)............................

Sir Thomas MORE (1480–1535) .........

The Life of a Shepherd............

Specimen of More's Juvenile Poetry, note .............,

SAMUEL DANIEL (1562-1619)......

Epigram of a New-married Student, ,

Epistle to the Countess of Cumberland......

Sheep-masters Decayers of Husbandry..................

Richard II. the Morning before his Murder.........

The Utopian Idea of Pleasure ......

Early Love.....................................

Character of Richard III......

Sonnets.

Letter to Lady More.................................

Ulysses and the Syren.......

MICHAEL DRAYTON (circa 1563-1631)...........

ACT OF PARLIAMENT, 7533.............................

BISHOP JOHN FISHER (1459-1535).....................

Description of a Stag-hunt.....

Habits of a Pious Lady of Rank..

Sherwood Forest and Robin Hood..........

SiR THOMAS Elyor (circa 1495–1546)..............

The Queen of the Fairies visiting Pigwiggen..........

BISHOP LATIMER (circa 1485—1555).......

EDWARD FAIRFAX (died after 1631).....

Armida and her Enchanted Girdle.

Account of his parentage........

Germany made a Mingle-mangle of their Religion.

Rinaldo at Mount Olivet..........

.... 91

Bishop Latimer gives place to Robin Hood's men ..

SIR John HARRINGTON (circa 1561—1612).............. ... 92

Goodwin Sands and Tenderden Steeple........

Epigrams : Of Treason, Of Fortune, &c................ .... 92

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE (1

... 92

The Devil the most Diligent Preacher

Sonnet, “That time of Year'...............................

JOHN LELAND (circa 1506—1552), and GEORGE CAVENDISH

The Horse of Adonis .....................................

(circa 1500-1562)..........

King Henry's Visits to Wolsey's House ...

Venus's Prophecy after the Death of Adonis ................

The Death of Wolsey .......

Selections from Sonnets....................................

LORD BERNERS (circa 1474-1532).........

Selections from Songs..................................... 94

Battle of Cressy.......

Sir John Davies (1570-1626)...............................

Edward IV, and the Countess of Salisbury.............

The Dancing of the Air............

....... 95

BISHOP BALE (1495—1563).....................

Reasons for the Soul's Immortality.........

Death of Lord Cobham.........

EDWARD VERE, EARL OF OXFORD (circa 1540—1604).... .... 96

WILLIAM TYNDALE (circa 1477-1536)....................

Fancy and Desire.............

The Magnificat and Lord's Prayer.....................

SIR EDWARD DYER (circa 1540-1607),.................

.... 96

Part of St Matthew's Gospel

My mind to me a kingdom is'.......

Miles COVERDALE (1485-1565)..........................

THOMAS STORER (died in 1604)......

Passage from Book of Genesis.....

Extracts from poem on Wolsey..............

TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE.........

John DONNE (1573-1631)...........

SIR JOHN CHEKE (1514-1557)......................

Address to Bishop Valentine............

Remonstrance with Levellers .........

Valediction-Forbidding Mourning..

SIR THOMAS WILSON (circa 1520-1581)............

The Will.............

...............

Simplicity of Style Recommended......

Character of a Bore............

ROGER ASCHAM (1515-1568)...........

BISHOP HALL (1574-1656)...........

Interview with Lady Jane Grey..........

Selections from Satires........

Study should be relieved by Amusement....

JOHN MARSTON (died about 1634), THOMAS CHURCHYARD

Occupations should be chosen suitable to the Natural

(1520-1604), GEORGE TUBERVILLE (circa 1530 - 1594),

Faculties ............................................... 71

THOMAS WATSON (circa 1557_1592), and Henry Con-

STABLE (circa 1560-1612)...............................100

JOHN BELLENDEN (circa 1495—1550).......

Part of the Story of Macbeth..

Sonnets by THOMAS WATSON..............................100

THE COMPLAYNT OF SCOTLAND............

| NICHOLAS BRETON (1558-1624).............................101

A Pastoral...........

..............IOI

From Farewell to Town ...........

THOMAS LODGE (circa 1555-1625), and RICHARD BARNFIELD

THIRD PERIOD.

(died after 1598)..........

.................... 102

Beauty- Rosalind's Madrigal.

......102

1558—1625: THE REIGNS OF ELIZABETH AND JAMES I.

Love-Two Short Poems....

.............103

THOMAS SACKVILLE, LORD BUCKHURST (1527-1608).......... 73 CHRISTOPHER Marlowe (1564-1593), and Sir WALTER

Characters from the Mirror for Magistrates................ 73 RALEIGH (1552-1618)....

............................103

Duke of Buckingham in the Infernal

..... 75

The Passionate Shepherd to his

erd to his Love......................13

John HARRINGTON (1534-1582).........

..... 75

The Nymph's Reply........

......103

Sonnet on Isabella Markham....

...... 75

Raleigh's Verses before his Execution........... ......106

ARTHUR BROOKE (died about 1563).......

...... 75

Passions are likened best to Floods and Streams .....106

Friar Lawrence.........

....

.....106

Two Sonnets by Raleigh..........

Love of Romeus and Juliet............................

The Pilgrimage........

.........................107

The Nurse to Romeus................

On Sir Philip Sidney......................................107

George GASCOIGNE (circa 1535—1577)...................

The Lie...................

.......................................107

The Country Gentlemen and Squires....

76 Joshua SYLVESTER (1563-1618)..............

..108

Satire on the Court Ladies........

Satan's Temptation of Eve.............

The Arraignment of a Lover......

• 77 | Morning–The Sun-Plurality of Worlds....

...

ng..............

.....100

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.....112

........112

.............II4

PAGE

BEN JONSON (1573-1637)...................................109 | THOMAS KYD (temp. Elizabeth)................

.....131

To Celia.-From The Forest...........

Scenes from Hieronimo....................................131

...............109

The Sweet Neglect.-From The Silent Woman............109 THOMAS Nash (circa 1564-1600)............................132

Hymn to Diana.- From Cynthia's Revels.

Short Extracts from Plays.........

.................. 109

......132

To Night.-From The Vision of Delight...

Robert GREENE (circa 1560—1592)..........,

" ..................

............133

Song.- From The Forest.....

.......109

Extract from Pandosto............

...........................,134

Good Life, Long Life.....................

......109

Extract from Orlando....

..........................134

Epitaphs ..........

Content, a Sonnet.......

........ .......135

To Penshurst.....

.....IIO Sephestia's Song to her Child....

.....135

To the Memory of Shakspeare...........

......IIO The Shepherd and his Wife.......,

....,135

On the Portrait of Shakspeare....

THOMAS LODGE (circa 1555–1625).............

.....136

SIR JOHN BEAUMONT (1582-1628)....

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE (1564—1593)....................

.....136

Richard III.'s Address to his Troops at Bosworth........... Scenes from Faustus....

.....137

FRANCIS BEAUMONT (1586—1616)....

......III Passages from the Few of Malta..........

.....138

From Letter to Ben Jonson ........

......112

Scene from Edward II.........

.....139

On the Tombs in Westminster.............

Description of Tamburlaine................................140

An Epitaph.............

The Nobles remonstrate with Edward II.............

nistrate with Laward 11...................140

Sık HENRY WOTTON (1568—1639)

..........112

ANTHONY MUNDAY (1554-1633), and HENRY CHETTLE (died

The Character of a Happy Life............ .............113 after 1603)........

.....141

To his Mistress the Queen of Bohemia ........

Sport in Sherwood........................................141

...................113

LORD BROOKE (1554-1628)..................................113

ANONYMOUS DRAMAS.......................................141

The Prehistoric Age.........

Scene from Arden of Feversham ...........................141

.................113

PHINEAS FLETCHER (1584—1650), and Giles FLETCHER (circa Picture of a Gambler......

.......................142

1588—1623)................

William SHAKSPEARE (1564-1616).........................142

Decay of Human Greatness................................114

Garden Scene in Romeo and Juliet.

Description of Parthenia.

Moonlight with fine Music.....

iption of Parthenia.................................

.....148

The Sorceress of Vain Delight.......................

Ghost-scene in Hamlet......

.....149

WILLIAM BROWNE (1590—1645)........................

.........116 Hamlet's Soliloquy on Death......

......149

A Descriptive Sketch........................

.....117

Mark Antony over Cæsar's Body.........

.....150

Evening Night................

.....117

Boling broke's Entry into London........

.....151

The Syrens' Song..........

....117

Fear of Death.........

.....151

Description of Psyche........

......118 Perseverance .....

.....151

Mercy...................

.....151

SCOTTISH POETS.

The Forest of Arden........

.....151

The World compared to a Stage ...........

....152

ALEXANDER SCOTT (To the Queen, 1562).......

....118

Oberon's Vision.........

.....152

Rondel of Love.........

........... ..............118

BEN JONSON (1573–1637)......

......152

To his Heart.......

..................118

The Fall of Catiline.....

SIR RICHARD MAITLAND (1496–1586).........

.....154

.....................119

Love. From The New Inn................................155

Satire on the Town Ladies......

le Town Ladies................................119

A Simpleton and a Braggadocio............................155

ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY (died about 1607).................119

Bobadil's Plan for Saving the Expense of an Army..........156

Extract from The Cherry and the Slae............... ......119

Advice to a Reckless Youth................................157

ALEXANDER HUME (circa 1560—1609)........................120

The Alchemist ............................................157

Extracts from the Day Estival......

..............120

COURT MASKS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ..............158

KING JAMES VI. (1566--1625).............................. 120

Ane Schort Poeme on Tyme......

Extracts—Venus and the Graces, &c....

..................120

Francis BEAUMONT (1586—1616), and John FLETCHER (1576

THE EARL OF ANCRUM (1578—1654), and the EARL OF

1625)...........

......161

STIRLING (1580-1640).......... ................. 121

Sonnet in Praise of a Solitary Life...........

Extracts from Philaster....

......121

Generosity of Cæsar ...

Sonnet to Aurora........

..... 121

Grief of Aspatia.

.....163

WILLIAM DRUMMOND (1585—1649)............

...... 121

Palamon and Arcite..

.....164

The River of Forth Feasting ........

......122

Pastoral Love ..........

165

Epitaph on Prince Henry.............

.........123

......165

Perigot and Amoret............

Five Sonnets..........

..........123

Melancholy.-From Nice Valour...

Sir Robert AYTON (1570-1638)............

......123

Song.–From The False One ......

......166

On Woman's Inconstancy..........

......123

The Power of Love.-From Valentinian..................

The Forsaken Mistress........

...........123

To Sleep-Song to Pan-Song from Rollo............. .....166

George BUCHANAN (1506--1582), and DR ARTHUR JOHNSTON

GEORGE CHAPMAN (1557–1634)............

......................167

(1587-1641)...........

....124

Extracts from Bussy d'Ambois.............................167

THOMAS DEKKER (died about 1641).........................

DRAMATISTS.

Short Extracts............

.................168

JOHN HeYWOOD (died in 1565), and BISHOP BALE (1495 ) Picture of Court-life.............
-1563)..............

.......... 125 JOHN WEBSTER (early half of 17th century).............
NICHOLAS UDALL (1504–1556), and JOHN STILL (1543-1607).125 Funeral Dirge for Marcello........
Extract from Roister Dorster..............................126 Scene from the Duchess of Malfi

...... 169
Jolly Good Ale and Old.......
.....................126 Death of the Duchess, and Dirge...

......169

THOMAS NORTON (1532-1584)..

.......126 | THOMAS MIDDLETON (died in 1627).

.....170

Extracts from Gorboduc.......

......126 Happiness of Married Life....

......171

RICHARD EDWARDS (circa 1523–1566), GEORGE WHETSTONE Witches going about the Caldron.......

......171

(temp. Elizabeth), &c.......

| Flight of the Witches, and Song.....