HISTORY OF
ENGLISH LITERATURE
HIPPOLYTE ADOLPHE TAINE
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BYHENRY VAN LAUN
WITH A SPECIAL INTRODUCTION BY
J. SCOTT CLARK, A. M.
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
REVISED EDITION
VOLUME I
SHAKESPEARE BEFORE SIR THOMAS LUCY.
Photogravure from a painting by T. Brooks.
This picture brings vividly before us an interesting incident ofShakespeare's early days. He has just been caught red-handed in thecrime of poaching, and is now brought before Sir Thomas Lucy to answerto the gamekeeper's charge. Though this incident seems wellauthenticated, little is definitely known of this period of the greatdramatist's life. But we do know that that energy, which later achievedso much, in his youth ran to waste in all kinds of lawless pleasures.The artist here depicts Sir Thomas Lucy sitting stern and grave as helistens to the constable's charge against Shakespeare. A slaughtereddeer has been brought in, as testimony against him. Shakespeare himself,though seeming fully aware of the gravity of his offence, appearsnevertheless composed and prepared to answer the charge. Though themagistrate may not be favorably impressed by the dauntless independenceof Shakespeare's bearing, we may be sure he excites the admiration ofthe feminine members of the household, who are watching him withinterest. All the accessories of carved woodwork, leaded casements, andtapestried walls interest us as depicting the interior of a typicalmanor-house of the period.
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TIMOTHY DWIGHT, D.D. LLD.RICHARD HENRY STODDARDARTHUR RICHMOND MARSH. A.B.PAVL VAN DYKE, D.D.ALBERT ELLERY BERGH
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DEDICATION
Even at the present day, the historian of Civilization in Europe and inFrance is amongst us, at the head of those historical studies which heformerly encouraged so much. I myself have experienced his kindness,learned by his conversation, consulted his books, and profited by thatintellectual and impartial breadth, that active and liberal sympathy,with which he receives the labors and thoughts of others, even whenthese ideas are not like his own. I consider it a duty and an honor toinscribe this work to M. Guizot.
H. A. TAINE.
SPECIAL INTRODUCTION
The publication of M. Taine's "History of English Literature," in 1864,and its translation into English, in 1872, mark an epoch in educationalhistory, especially in that of America. Prior to the appearance of thiswork, the total knowledge of British writers gained in the school andcollege life of the ordinary American youth was generally derived in theform of blind memorization from one text-book. This book was acombination of minute biographical detail with the generalities andabstractions of criticism