CHAPTER II.

PAGR.

The Normans.

li.

Formation and character of Feudalism..

The Norman invasion ; character of the Normans-Contrast with the Saxons-

The Normans are French-How they became so-Their taste and architecture

Their spirit of inquiry and their literature-Chivalry and amusements

Their tactics and their success...

III. Bent of the French genius-Two principal characteristics; clear and consecutive

ideas—Psychological form of French genius-Prosaic histories ; lack of

color and passion, ease and discursiveness-Natural logic and clearness,

soberness, grace and delicacy, refinement and cynicism-Order and charm--The

nature of the beauty and of the ideas which the French have introduced....

Iv.

The Normans in England-Their position and their tyranny—They implant their

literature and language-They forget the same-Learn English by degrees

-Gradually English becomes gallicised...

V. They translate French works into English-Opinion of Sir John Mandeville-

Layamon, Robert of Gloucester, Robert de Brunne-They imitate in English
the French literature-Moral manuals, chansons, fabliaux, Gestes-Brightness,
frivolity, and futility of this French literature-Barbarity and ignorance of
the feudal civilization-Geste of Richard Ceur de Lion, and voyages of Sir
John Mandeville--Poorness of the literature introduced and implanted in

England-Why it has not endured on the Continent or in England....

The Saxons in England-Endurance of the Saxon nation, and formation of the

English constitution, Endurance of the Saxon character, and formation of the

English character..

VII-IX. Comparison of the ideal hero in France and England-Fabliaux of Reynard,

and ballads of Robin Hood-How the Saxon character makes way for and
supports political liberty-Comparison of the condition of the Commons in
France and England-Theory of the English constitution, by Sir John
Hortescue.How the Saxon constitution ecakes way fore and supports political
liberty-Situation of the Church, and precursors

the Reformation in Eng-

land-Piers Plowman and Wycliffe-How the Saxon character and the situ-

ation of the Norman Church made way for religious reform-Incompleteness

and importance of the national literature-Why it has not endured...

61

VI.

CHAPTER III.

I.

85

85

III.

IV,

The New Tougue.

Chaucer-His education-His political and social life-Wherein his talent was

serviceable-He paints the second feudal society...

How the middle age degenerated- Decline of the serious element in manners,

books, and works of art-Need of excitement-Analogies of architecture and

literature.

Wherein Chaucer belongs to the middle age-Romantic and ornamental poems-

Le Roman de la Rose - Troilus and Cressida - Canterbury Tales

Order of description and events, The House of Fame- Fantastic dreams

and visions-Love poems-Troilus and Cressida--Exaggerated development

of love in the middle age-Why the mind took this path-Mystic love-The

Flower and the Leaf-Sensual love-Troilus and Cressida....

Wherein Chaucer is French-Satirical and jovial poems-Canterbury Tales The

Wife of Bath and marriage - The mendicant friar and religion-Buffoorery,

waggery, and coarseness in the middle age....

Wherein Chaucer was English and original-Idea of character and individual-Van

Eyck and Chaucer contemporary-Prologue to Canterbury Tales-Portraits

of the franklin, monk, miller, citizen, knight, squire, prioress, the good cierk-

Connection of events and characters--General idea-Iniportance of the same

-Chaucer a precursor of the Reformation-He halts by the way-Tediousness

and Childishness-Causes of this feebleness-His prose, and scholastic notion

-How he is isolated in his age.....

Connection of philosophy and poetry-How general notions failed under the

V.

BOOK II.-THE RENAISSANCE.

CHAPTER I.

IV.

The Pagan Renaissance.

§ 1. MANNERS OF THE TIME.

PAG.

[ Idea which men had formed of the world, since the dissolution o the old

society–How and why human inventiveness reappears—The form of the spirit

of the Renaissance—The representation of objects is imitative, characteristic,

and complete....

103

1 Why the ideal changes-Improvement of the state of man in Europe-In England

--Peace Industry-Commerce-Pasturage- Agriculture-Growth of public

wealth-Buildings and furniture--The palace, meals and habits-Court

pageantries-Celebrations under Elizabeth-Masques under James I.......... sog

IT: Manners of the people-Pageants-Theatres-Village feasts-Pagan development. 112

IV Models—The ancients-Translation and study of classical authors-Sympathy for

the manners and mythology of the ancients—The moderns-Taste for Italian

writings and ideas-Poetry and painting in Italy were pagan-The ideal is the

strong and happy man, limited by the present life...

.. 13

§ 2. POETRY

1.

The English Renaissance is the Renaissance of the Saxon genius..

116

JI. The forerunners-The Earl of Surrey-His feudal and chivalrous life--His English

individual character-His serious and melancholy poems-His conception of

inward love......

116

III. His style-His masters, Petrach and Virgil- His progress, power, precocious

perfection-Birth of art-Weaknesses, imitation, research-Art incomplete.... 118
Growth and completion of art-Euphues and fashion-Style and spirit of the Re-

naissance-Copiousness and irregularity-How manners, style, and spirit corres-
pond-Şir Philip Sydney–His education, life, character-His learning, gravity,
generosity, forcible expression-The Arcadia-Exaggeration and mannerism of
sentiments and style --Defence of Poesie-Eloquence and energy-His sonnets
-Wherein the body and the passions of the Renaissance differ from those of

the moderns-Sensual love-Mystical love....

V.

Pastoral poetry. The great number of poets-Spirit and force of the poetry-State

of mind which produces it-Love of the country-Reappearance of the ancient

gods-Enthusiasm for beauty-Picture of ingenuous and happy love-Shak-

speare, Jonson, Fletcher, Drayton, Marlowe, Wamer, Breton, Lodge, Greene

-How the transformation of the people transforms art......

VI

Ideal poetry-Spenser--His life-His character–His platonism-His Hymns of

love and beauty--Copiousness of his imagination-How far it was suited for

the epic-Wherein it was allied to the "faèrie"-His tentatives-Shepherd's

Calendar-His short poems-His masterpiece-- The Faërie Queene-His epic

is allegorical and yet life-like-It embraces Christian chivalry and the Pagan

Olympus-How it combines these...

VII. The Faërie Queene-Impossible events-How they appear natural-Belphæbe and

Chrysogone-Fairy and gigantic pictures and landscapes-Why they must be so

The cave of Mammon, and the gardens of Acrasia-How Spenser composes

.-Wherein the art of the Renaissance is complete....

...... 139

$ 3. PROSE.

1 Limit of the poetry-Changes in society and manners-How the return to naturo

becomes an appeal to the senses-Corresponding changes in poetry-How agree-
ablenesss replaces energy-How prettiness replaces the beautiful-Refinements

-Carew, Suckling, Herrick -Affectation - - Quarles, Herbert, Babington,

Donne, Cowley--Begininng of the classic style and drawing-room life.

IL Hew poetry passed into prose-Connection of science and art-In Italy-In

England - How the triumph of nature develops the exercise of the natural reason

-Scholars, historians, speakers, compilers, politicians, antiquaries, philoso-

phers, theologians—The abundance of talent, and the rarity of fine works-

Superfluousness, punctiliousness, and pedantry of the style-originality, preci-

sion, energy, and richness of the style-How, unlike the classical writers, they

represent the individual, not the idea...

147

III. Robert Burton-His life and character-Vastness and confusion of his acquirements

-His subject, the Anatomy of Melancholy-Scholastic divisions—Medley of

moral and medical science..

143

IV Sir Thomas Browne-His talent-His imagination is that of a North-man-

126

131

PAOL

Hydriotaphia, Religio Medici-His ideas, curiosity, and doubts belong to the

age of the Renaissance-Pseudodoxia-Effects of this activity and this direction

of the public mind..

151

Francis Bacon-His talent–His originality-Concentration and brightness of his

style-Comparisons and aphorisms—The Essays-His style not argumentative,

but intuitive-His practical good sense-Turning-point of his philosophy—The

object of science is the amelioration of the condition of man--New Atlantis

The idea is in accordance with the state of affairs and the spirit of the times

--It completes the Renaissance-It introduces a new method–The Organum

-Where Bacon stopped-Limits of the spirit of the age-How the conception

of the world, which had been poetic, became mechanical-How the Renaissance

ended in the establishment of positive science.

19

CHAPTER II.

The Theatre.

1. The public--The stage

158

II. Manners of the sixteenth century-Violent and complete expansion of nature.... 160

III. English manners-Expansion of the energetic and gloomy character..

163

IV. The poets-General harmony between the character of a poet and that of his age

---Nash, Decker, Kyd, Peele, Lodge, Greene—Their condition and life-Mar-
lowe-His life-His works- Tamburlaine-The Jew of Malta-Edward

11.-Faustus--His conception of man....

V.

Formation of this drama-The process and character of this art-Imitative

sympathy, which depicts by expressive examples--Contrast of classical and

Germanic art-Psychological construction and proper sphere of these two arts. 173

VI.

Male characters-Furious passions—Tragical events-Exaggerated characters

The Duke of Milan by Massinger-Ford's Annabella-Webster's Duchess of

Malfi and Vittor ia Corombona-Female characters-Germainic idea of love

and marriage-Euphrasia, Bianca, Arethusa, Ordella, Aspasia Amoret, in

Beaumont and Fletcher--Penthea in Ford-Agreement of the moral and

physical type...

176

166

CHAPTER III.

Ben Jonson.

1. The masters of the school, in the school and in their age--Jonson-His mood

Character-Education-First efforts-Struggles - Poverty-Sickness-Death. 186

II. Learning-Classical tastes–Didactic characters--Good management of his plots

-Freedom and precision of his style-Vigor of his will and passion...... 188

III. Dramas—Catiline and Sejanus-How he was able to depict the personages and

the passions of the Roman decadence.

193

IV. Comedies-His reformation and theory of the theatre-Satirical comedies

Volpone-Why these comedies are serious and warlike-How they depict the

passions of the Renaissance-His farces—The Silent Woman-Why these

comedies are energetic and rude-How they conform with the tastes of the

Renaissance..

194

V. Limits of his talent,Wherein he is inferior to Molière-Want of higher pailosophy

and comic gayety–His imagination and fancy-The Staple of. News and

Cynthia's Revels How he treats the comedy of society, and lyrical comedy

-His smaller poems--His masques—Theatrical and picturesque manners of

the court-The Sad Shepherd-How Jonse) remains a poet to his death...... 306

VI. General idea of Shakspeare-The fundamental idea in Shakspeare-Conditions of

human reason-Shakspeare's master faculty-Conditions of exact represen-

tation....

CHAPTER IV.

Shakspeare.

Lite and character of Shakspeare-Family-Youth--M: rriage-He becomes an

actor, Adonis Sonnets--Loves-Humor-Conversation-Melar choly – The
constitution of the productive and sympathetic character-Prudence-For

une

- Retirement.......

style-Images-Excesses-Incongruities--Copiousness - Difference between the

204

PAGL

210

21

22r

VI.

on

III. Manners-Familiar intercourse-Violent bearing-Harsh language--Conversation

and action-Agreement of manners and style.
IV. The dramatis persona-All of the same family-Brutes and idiots-Caliban, Ajax,

Cloten, Polonius, the Nurse--How the mechanical imagination can precede

or survive reason....
Y. Men of wit-Difference between the wit of reasoners and of artists,Mercutio,

Beatrice, Rosalind, Benedict, the clowns-Falstaff.
Women Desdemona, Virginia, Juliet, Miranda, Imogen, Cordelia, Ophelia,

Volumnia-How Shakspeare represents love-Why he bases virtue

instinct or passion....
VII. Villains-lago, Richard Ill.-How excessive lusts and the lack of conscience are
the natural province of the impassioned imagination.....

234

VIII. Principal characters-Excess and disease of the imagination-Lear, Othello, Cleo-

patra, Coriolanus, Macbeth, Hamlet-Comparison of Shakspeare's psychol.

ogy with that of the French'tragic authors....

229

IX

Fancy-Agreement of imagination with observation in Shakspeare-Interesting

nature of sentimental and romantic comedy-As you like it-Idea of exist

encer Midsummer Night's DreamIdea of love, Harmony of all parts

of the workthe artist

CHAPTER V.

The Christian Renaissance.

1. Vices of the pagan Renaissance-Decay of the Southern civilizations.............. 839
II The Reformation-Aptitude of the Germanic races, and suitability of Northern

climates-Albert Durer's bodies and souls-His martyrdoms and last judg-
ments-Luther-His idea of justice-Construction of Protestantism-Crisis
of the conscience-Renewal of heart-Suppression of ceremonies--Transfor-

mation of the clergy

241

III. Reformation in England-Tyranny of the ecclesiastical courts-Disorders of the

clergy.-- Irritation of the people-The interior of a diocese-Persecutions and

convulsions-The translation of the Bible-How biblical events and Hebraic

sentiments are in accordance with contemporary manners and with the English

character-The Prayer Book-Moral and manly feeling of the prayers and

church service-Preaching-Latimer-His education-Character, Familiar and

persuasive eloquence-Death-The martyrs under Mary-England thenceforth

Protestant....

246

IV. The Anglicans-Close connection between religion and society-How the religious

sentiment penetrates literature-How the sentiment of the beautiful subsists in
religion-Hooker–His breadth of mind and the fulness of his style-Hales
and Chillingworth-Praise of reason and tolerance-Jeremy Taylor-His
learning, imagination, and poetic feeling. ...

256

y.

The Puritans–Opposition of religion and the world-Dogmas-Morality-

Scruples-Their triumph and enthusiasm-Their work and practical sense..... 263

VI

Bunyan--His life, spirit, and poetical work-The Prospect of Protestantism in

England.....

271

CHAPTER VI.

Milton.

L General idea of his mind and character-Family-Education-Studies, Traveler

Return to Englana...

871

II. Effects of a concentrated and solitary character-Austerity-Inexperience
Marriage Children-Domestic Troubles...

280

III. Combative energy-Polemic against the bishops Against the king-Enthusiasm

und sternness-Theories on government, church, and education--Stoicism

and virtue-Old age, occupations, person.

........ 281

IV Milton's residence in London and the country-General appearance..

284

Mütor as a prose-writer-Changes during three centuries in countenances and

ideas-Heaviness of his logic-The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorca.
Heavy Humor-Animadversions upon the Remonstrant's Defence-Clumsi-
ness of discussion-Defensio Pofuli Anglicani-Violence of his animosities
The reason of Church Government-Éikonoklastes-Liberality of Doctrines
Of Reformation-Areopagitica-Style-Breadth of eloquence-Wealth of
imagery-Lyric sublimity of diction...:

285
N. Milton as a poet-How he approaches and is distinct from the poets of the Renais-

sance-How he gives poetry a moral tone-Profane poems--L'Allegro and Il
Perseroso-Comous— Lycidas Religious poems-Paradise Lost-Conditions

IA

eta genuine epic-They are not to be met with in the age or i: he poet-Com
parison of Adam and Eve with an English family-Comparison of God and the
angels to a monarch's court-The rest of the poem-Comparison between the
sentiments of Satan and the republican passions--Lyrical and moral character
of the scenery-Loftiness and sense of the moral ideas-Situation of the most
and the poem between two ages-Composition of his genius and his work...... en

314

1. THE ROISTERERS.

Che excesses of Puritanism-How they induce excesses of sensuality....

30

II. Picture of these manners by a stranger-The Mémoires de Grammont-Difference

of debauchery in France and England.....

31

IS Butler's Hudibras-Platitude of his comic style, and harshness of his rancorous

style...

313

(v.

Baseness, cruelty, brutality, debauchery, of the court-Rochester, his life, poems,

style, morals.

V.

Philosophy consonant with these manners-Hobbes, his spirit and his style-His

curtailments and his discoveries-His mathematical method - In how much he

resembles Descartes--His morality, æsthetics, politics, logic, psychology,

metaphysics--Spirit and aim of his philosophy...

318

VI.

The theatre-Alteration in taste, and in the public-Audiences before and after

the Restoration..

VII. Dryden-Disparity of his comedies-Unskilfulness of his indecencies-How he
translates Molière's Amphitryon.....

321
VII Wycherley,Life--Character-Melancholy, greed, immodesty-Love in a Wood,

Country Wife, Dancing Master-Licentious pictures, and repugnant details
-His energy and realism-Parts of Olivia and Manly in his Plain Dealer-
Certain words of Milton's Paradise Lost.....

32)

324

7. THE WORLDLINGS.

331

v.

1. Appearance of the worldly life in Europe-Its conditions and causes- How It was

established in England-Etiquette, amusements, conversations, manners, and

talents of the drawing-room..

339

II. Dawn of the classic spirit in Europe-Its origin-Its nature-Difference of conver-

sation under Elizabeth and Charles II.
III. Sir William Temple-His life, character, spirit, and style...

332

IV. Writers of fashion-Their correct language and gallant bearing-Sir Charles Sed-

ley, the Earl of Dorset, Edmund Waller-His opinions and style-Wherein

consists his polish-Wherein he is not sufficiently polished-Culture of style-

Lack of poetry-Character of monarchical and classic style....

335

Sir John Denham-His poem of Cooper's Hill-Oratorical swell of his verse-

English seriousness of his moral preoccupations-How people of fashion and
literary men followed then the fashions of France..

....... 339

VI. The comic-authors-Comparison of this theatre with that of Molière-Arrange-

ment of ideas in Molière-General ideas in Molière-How in Molière the odious

is concealed, while the truth is depicted-How in Molière the honest map is

still the man of the world-How the respectable man of Molière is a French

type .........

3€

VII. Action-Complication of intrigues--Frivolity of purpose-Crudeness of the charac-

ters--Grossness of manners-Wherein consists the talent of Wycherley, Con.

greve, Vanbrugh, and Farquhar-Kind of characters they are able to produce. 344
VIII. Natural characters-Sir John Brute, the husband; Squire Sullen-Sir Tunbelly,

the father-Miss Hoyden, the young lady-Squire Humphry, the young

gentleman-Idea of nature according to this theatre.
IX. Artificial characters-Women of the world-Miss Prue, Lady Wishfort, Lady

Pliant, Mrs. Millamant-Men of the world - Mirabell—Idea of society ac,
cording to this theatre-Why this culture and this literature have not produced
durable works-Wherein they are opposed to the English character-Transfor-
mation of taste and manners...

344

The continuation of comedy-Sheridan-Life-Talent-The School for Scandal-

How comedy degenerates and is extinguished-Causes of the decay of the

theatre in Europe and in England...

346