CHAMBER S'S 



CYCLOPEDIA OF ENGLISH LITERATURE, 



1 jSI.KCriOV OF THE CHOICEST PRODUCTIONS OF ENGLISH AUTHORS, FROM TUB 



EARLIEST TO THE PRESENT TlilE: CONNECTED BY A CRITICAL 



AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. 



EDITED BY ROBERT CHAMBERS. 



ASSISTED BY ROBERT CARKUTHERS AND OTHER EMINENT GENTLEMEN. 



Complete in two imperial octavo volumes, of more than fourteen 



hundred pages of double column letterjn-ess, and vpicards of 



three hundred elegant illustrations. 



This valuable work has now become so generally known and appreciated, that there 

 naixely be any thing said in commendation, except to those who have nut yet seen it. 



The work embraces about One Thousand Authors, chronologically arranged and classed 

 U Poets, Historians, Dramatists, Philosophers, Metaphysicians, Divines, etc., with choict 

 tticctionsfrom their writings, connected by a Biographical, Historical, and Critical Narra- 

 tive ; thus presenting a complete view of English Literature, from the earliest to the present 

 time. Let the reader open where he will, he cannot fail to find matter for profit and delight^ 

 v>hich,for the most part, too, repeated perusals will only serve to make him enjoy the more. 

 We have indeed infinite riches in a little room. JVb one, who has a taste fur literature, 

 should allow himself, for a trifling consideration, to be without a work which throws $ 

 much light upon the progress of the English language. The selections are gems a mast 

 of valuable information in a condensed and elegant form. 



EXTRACTS FROM COMMENDATORY NOTICES. 



From W. H. Prescott, Author of" Ferdinand and Isabella." "The plan of the work 

 is very judicious. * * It will put the reader in the proper point of view, for survey- 

 ing tli' 1 whole ground over which he is travelling. * * Such readers cannot fail to 

 pront largely hy the labors of the critic who hus the talent and taste to separate what 

 is really beautiful and worthy of their study from what is superfluous." 



" I concur in the foregoing opinion of Mr. Prescotl." Edward Everett. 



" It will be a useful and popular work, indispensable to the library of a student of 

 English literature." Francis Wayland. 



"We hail with peculiar pleasure the appearance of this work, and more especiallj 

 its repuMication in this country at a price which places it within the reach of a groat 

 number of readers." North American Review. 



" This is the most valuable and magnificent contribution to a sound popular 'itera- 

 ture that this century has brought forth. It fills a place which was before a olank. 

 Without it, English literature, to almost all of onr countrymen, educated or unedu- 

 rated, is an imperfect, broken, disjointed mass. Much that is beautiful the moat 

 perfect and graceful portions, undoubtedly was already possessed ; but it was not 

 a whole. Every intelligent man, every inquiring mind, every scholar, felt that the 

 foundation was missing. Chamhers's Cyclopedia supplies this radical defect. It he- 

 gins with the beginning; and, step by step, gives to every one who has the intellect or 

 taste to enjoy it a view of English literature in all its complete, beautiful, and perfect 

 proportions." Qnondaga Demor.rut, JV. Y. 



" We hope that teachers will avail themselves of an early opportunity to obtain a 

 work so well calculated to impart useful knosvledge, with the pleasures and ornaments 

 of the English classics. The work will undoubtedly find a place in our district and 

 other public libraries; yet it should be the ' vade mecum' of every scholar." 

 Teachers' Advocate, Syracuse, JV. Y. 



"The work is finely conceived to meet a popular want, is full of literary instruction, 

 tnd is variously embellished with engravings illustrative of English antiquities, his- 

 tory, and biography. Tbe typography throughout is beautiful." Christian Reflector, 

 Boston. 



" The design has been well executed by the selection and concentration of some of 

 the best productions of English intellect, from the earliest Anglo-Saxon writf rs down 

 to those of the present day. Js'o one can give a glance at the work without beia| 

 ;ruck with its beauty and cheapness." Boston Courier. 



" We should be glad if any thing we can say would favor this design. The elegance 

 of the execution fea?ts the eye with beauty, and ihe whole is suited to refine and ele- 

 vate the taste. And we might ask, who can fail to go back to its beginning, and trara 

 his mother-tongue from its rude infancy to its present maturity, elegance, and richness ; " 

 Christian Mirror, Portland. 



.* The Publishers of the AMERICAN Edition of this valuable work desire to state that, besidei DM 

 onmefous picto? ml illustrations in the En?lish Edition, they have greatly enriched the work by the addition 

 f fine steel and mezzotint eneravings of the heads of Shakspeare, Addison, Byron ; a full ien^th poitreU 

 fDr. Johnson, and a Ujatilitui scenic representation of Oliver Goldsmith and Dr. Johnson. Tftne in.r-or- 

 tut fcnd elegant additious, together with superior paper and binding, num give this a decided nelerasce 

 other editions. 



