TWELVE ENGLISH POETS SKETCHES OF THE LIVES AND SELECTIONS FROM THE ENGLISH POETS FROM CHAUCER TO TENNYSON BY BLANCHE WILDER BELLAMY "And to hem give I feyth and ful credence, And in myn herte have hem in reverence." "For oute of olde feldys as men sey, Cometh al this newe corn from yer to yere; And out of olde bokis, in good fey Comyth al this newe science that men lere." BOSTON, U.S.A. GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS The Athenæum Press 7811684 Harvard University, TRANSFERRED TO 1932 COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY BLANCHE WILDER BELLAMY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PREFACE. THE sketches collected in this volume, and published under the title of "Twelve English Poets," were prepared at the request of the editors of the Outlook, and originally appeared in that journal. Their purpose is to show to young readers what has been the direct line of descent of English poetry, and to provide them with a brief introduction to the work of these great masters, in the hope that such an early introduction may lead to a lifelong intimacy with them. The text of the selections from Chaucer is from the Riverside edition, and is used by the kind permission of Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. BROOKLYN, March, 1899. BLANCHE WILDER BELLAMY. |