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 indebted.

THE ACADEMY,

EDINBURGH.

439128

H. VAN LAUN.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

Historical documents serve only as a clue to reconstruct

the visible individual

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

man

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

PAGE

2

6

effects.

The three primordial forces-

I. Race

II. Surroundings.

III. Epoch.

10

13

17

19

21

23

Common

History is a mechanical and psychological problem.

Within certain limits man can foretell

Production of the results of a primordial cause.

elements. Composition of groups. Law of mutual

dependence. Law of proportional influences

Law of formation of a group. Examples and indications. 30

General problem and future of history. Psychological

method. Value of literature. Purpose in writing

L

II.

IIL

IV.

V.

VI.

BOOK I.-THE SOURCE.

CHAPTER I.

The Saxons.

Their original country-Soil, sea, sky, climate-
Their new country-A moist land and a thank-
less soil-Influence of climate on character
Their bodily structure-Food-Manners-Unculti-
vated instincts, German and English

Noble instincts in Germany-The individual-The

family-The state-Religion - The Edda-

Tragi-heroic conception of the world and of man-

kind

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 impression; harsh-

ness of expression .

Christian poems-Wherein the Saxons are predis-
posed to Christianity-How converted-Their
view of Christianity-Hymns of Cadmon-
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 dia-

logues-Bad taste of the Latin writers

-

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37

41

49

58

68

72

82

VII. Contrast of German and Latin races-Character of
the Saxon race-Its endurance under the Nor-
man conquest

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92

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

CHAPTER II.

The Normans.

Formation and character of Feudalism.

95

96

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.

Bent of the French genius-Two principal charac-

teristics; clear and consecutive ideas-Psycho-

logical form of French genius-Prosaic histories ;

lack of colour and passion, ease and discursive-

ness-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. 104

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 galli-
cised
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 civilisation-Geste

115