PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION.

This edition of Taine's History of English Literature has been carefully revised and compared with the original. All the quotations have been collated and verified anew, and no trouble has been spared to make it as accurate as possible.

For the favourable reception this translation has met with from the press and the public, I feel much

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

PAOE

Historical documents serve only as a clue to reconstruct

the visible individual

The outer man is only a clue to study the inner, invisible

2

man

6

.

.

.

10

.

13

17

19

21

The state and the actions of the inner and invisible man

have their causes in certain general ways of thought

and feeling

Chief causes of thoughts and feelings. Their historical

effects.

The three primordial forces—

1. Race

11. Surroundings.

III. Epoch
History is a mechanical and psychological problem.

Within certain limits man can foretell
Production of the results of a primordial cause. Common

elements. Composition of groups. Law of mutual

dependence. Law of proportional influences

Law of formation of a group. Examples and indications.

General problem and future of history. Psychological

method. Value of literature. Purpose in writing

this book

23

26

32

BOOK I.---THE SOURCE

CHAPTER I.

The Sarons.

49

58

.

v.

L Their original country-Soil, sea, sky, climate

Their new country- A moist land and a thank-

less soil—Influence of climate on character

I Their bodily structure-Food_Manners—Unculti-

vated instincts, German and English

IIL Noble instincts in Germany—The individual — The

family - The state Religion -- The Edda- ,

Tragi-heroic conception of the world and of man-

kind

IV. Noble instincts in England—Warrior and chieftain

-Husband and wife—The poem of Beowulf-

Barbarian society and the barbarian hero .

Pagan poems-Kind and force of sentiments-Bent

of mind and speech-Force of impressiou; harsh-

ness of expression.

VI. Christian poems—Wherein the Silxons are predis-

posed to Christianity-How converted—Their

view of Christianity-Hymns of Cædmon

Funeral hymn— Poem of Judith-- Paraphrase of

the Bible

VIL. Why Latin culture took no hold on the Saxons-

Reasons drawn from the Saxon conquest-Bede,

Alcuin, Alfred Translations Chronicles

Compilations — Impotence of Latin writers –

Reasons drawn from the Saxon character

Adhelm --- Alcuin - Latin verse -- Poetic diar

logues—Bad taste of the Latin writers

68

72

82