During this long period of activity, first as physician, then as educator and journalist, he has likewise been a diligent student, and a prolific writer. The versatility of his literary labors is something notable. His interest in questions relating to sanitary science has been shown in many separate papers upon the subject, and especially in two books: "Tracts upon Health for Cottage Circulation," 1847; and "How to Make Home Unhealthy," 1850. In poetry, and in prose fiction, he has published "The Dream of the Lily Bell," 1845; "Sunrise in Italy," 1847; and two volumes of "Fairy-Tales," 1859 and 1860. In biography, his publications are many and important: "Life of Bernard Palissy of Saintes," two volumes, 1852; "Life of Jerome Cardan," 1854; "Life of Henry Cornelius Agrippa," 1856; "Clément Marot, and Other Studies," 1871. In 1851, his attention to certain educational problems was shown in a book entitled "A Defence of Ignorance." In 1866, he compressed into a book his special work as a dramatic critic: "The Journal of a London Playgoer from 1857 to 1866." It is, however, in the immense field of English literary history and criticism that his principal work has lain; and in this field, also, he takes eminent rank among living English authors, both for the range and minuteness of his researches, and for the value of the books which those researches have enabled him to produce. Besides his "First Sketch of English Literature," he has published "Gossip and Memoirs of Bartholomew Fair," 1857; "The Spectator," original and corrected texts, with introduction and notes, 1868; "Tables of English Literature," and "Notes of Literature," 1870; "Shorter English Poems, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time," "Illustrations of English Religion," and "The English Drama," the last three books having appeared within the last two or three years. All of these works, numerous and extended as many of them are, may be regarded as but incidental productions when compared with the one great literary task of his life, expressed in his "English Writers." Of this work, Vol. I., Part I., "The Celts and Anglo-Saxons," and Vol. I., Part II., "From the Conquest to Chaucer," appeared in 1864; while Vol. II., Part I., "From Chaucer to Dunbar," appeared in 1867. I must not close this Preface without recording here some grateful, even if inadequate, mention of the painstaking and generous assistance I have received, while this book has been passing through the press, from my friend and associate, Professor Isaac N. Demmon. In many important ways the book has been improved by his good taste, his trained literary judgment, and his wide and accurate scholarship. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR, June 3, 1879. MOSES COIT TYLER CONTENTS. 1. English Literature and the English People. - 2. Their Conti- 1 4. Their Blending into the English People.-5. Traits con- tributed by the Celts.-6. Traits contributed by the Teutons . 7 1. The Venerable Bede.-2. Alcuin and John Scotus Erigena. WRITINGS OF ENGLISHMEN IN LATIN AND IN FRENCH. 1. The English Language before and after the Norman Conquest. -2. Writings in Latin and in French.-3. Chronicles. - 4. William of Malmesbury. -5. Geoffrey of Monmouth.-6. Wace.-7. A Group of Minor Chroniclers.-8. Ralph Higden. -9. Romances; Walter Map.-10. Other Romance-Writers. -11. Sawulf.-12. Hilarius. - 13. Miracle-Plays and Mys- teries.-14. Writers on Science; Athelard of Bath. - 15. Alexander Neckham.-16. Roger Bacon.-17. Writers on Law; Ralph Glanville; Henry of Bracton. 18. Religious WRITINGS IN THE ENGLISH OF THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD. 1. State of English Literature in this Period. 2. Layamon. — 3. Orm. 4. Nicholas of Guildford; Devotional and Moral Writ- ings; Romances; Ancren Riwle.-5. Robert of Gloucester and his Contemporaries.-6. Robert of Brunne.-7. Laurence Minot. 8. Richard Rolle.-9. Dan Michel.-10. Ralph Hig- SECOND HALF OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY: CHAUCER. 1. Chaucer's English. —2. Chaucer's Parentage and Birth-Year. — Translations of "Le Roman de la Rose" and Boëthius. — 6. "The Court of Love."-7. Chaucer's Stanza.-8. "The As- sembly of Foules."-9. "Complaint of the Black Knight." 10. Chaucer's Military Career.-11. His "Dream." 12. "Book of the Duchess."-13. His Political Life. - 14. Sec- ond Period of his Literary Life; "Troilus and Cressida." 15. "House of Fame."-16. "Legend of Good Women." 17. His Further Political Life.-18. "The Flower and the Leaf."-19. "The Cuckoo and the Nightingale." -20. His Political Life continued; "The Astrolabe."-21. His Last 1. John Gower; his Balades; "Speculum Meditantis;" mantis;" tite Chronicle."-2. William Langland; "The Vision of Piers Ploughman; Imitations of it.-3. John Barbour; "Bruce."-4. Sir John Mandeville; "Travels." -5. John 1. Literary Use of Latin.-2. Reginald Pecock.-3. Sir John |