Popular Romanticism - THE LITERARY MISCELLANY

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THE LITERARY MISCELLANY

Authors: Milton, John

Cowley

Waller

Butler, Samuel

Denham

Dryden, John

Pomfret

Parnell

Categories: Verse

Fiction

Prose

Year: 1811

Publisher: G. Nicholson

Pagination: [2], 3-158, [2], 3-42, 1-14, 1-20, 1-18, 1-32, 1-8, [i]-xi, 1-30

Dimensions: 14.5 x 9 cm

Illustrations: Yes; Title-page; p.1: P.V Plass Pinxt(?), W.M Craig. 1808., Mackenzie sculp.; p.158; p.1: Sir G. Kneller Pinx, W.M. Craig del., Mackenzie sculp.; p. [between p. 8 and I]: J. Chapman sculpt.; p. 30.

City: Stourport

Document Type: Book

Language: English

Printer: George Nicholson

Edges: Trimmed

Notes:

Full-title: THE LITERARY MISCELLANY : or, SELECTIONS & EXTRACTS, classical and scientific : with Originals, in PROSE AND VERSE. For more biographical information on each poet, see suggested biographies in 'References' section. John Milton was an English poet, author, polemicist, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England. He is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost. Abraham Cowley was an English poet and Royalist during the Civil War. In his time he eclipsed Milton in fame, yet his works have since become overshadowed by Milton's. Edmund Waller was an English poet and politician. His poetic style is notable for preparing the way for the emergence of the heroic couplet. Waller is also known for his conspiracy against Parliament in the spring of 1643, conveniently known as "Waller's Plot." Although the law spared his life, he was banished from the realm until 1651. Samuel Butler was a poet and satirist. He is best known for Hudibras, a long satirical burlesque poem on Puritanism. Sir John Denham was an English poet and courtier. He was a Royalist and served as a surveyor of the King's Works. "Cooper's Hill" is the poem by which he is remembered; it is the first example of an English poem devoted to local description. John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright. He dominated the literary life of Restoration England. Dryden held the prestigious positions of Poet Laureate in 1668 and historiographer royal in 1670. He established the heroic couplet as the standard meter of English poetry. John Pomfret was an English poet and clergyman. He is best known for his poem "The Choice." Thomas Parnell was a poet, essayist, and priest. George Nicholson was born in Keighley, Yorkshire into a family of printers. George and his brother set up their own printing business in 1784, producing mainly chapbooks and popular penny cards. Sometime before 1797, Nicholson moved to Manchester. He began printing to a higher standard, moving from chapbooks and penny cards to educational and didactic titles. From 1799-1800 his business was located in Ludlow, Shropshire. Due to the high volume of printers already established in that area, he moved from there to Ploughnill, where he remained until 1807. During this time he began printing a celebrated and innovative collection of pocket books that sold anywhere from 9d. to 1s. 6d. In 1807 he moved his business to Stourport, Worcestershire and remained there for the rest of his life. This location was well-suited for business as merchandise easily could be shipped down the new canal network to London. Nicholson printed mainly poetry, miscellanies, and the works of local writers from 1807-1825. He died on November 1, 1825. His wife, Mary Nicholson, carried on the printing business after his death. p. vi title-page and publisher's imprint. p. 3-158 'LIFE OF MILTON.' p. 159-293 'POEMS BY COWLEY, WALLER, BUTLER, DENHAM, DRYDEN, AND POMFRET.' p. 294-324 'POEMS | BY | THOMAS PARNELL, D. D. | CONTAINING | THE HERMIT | AND | OTHER PIECES, | WITH THE AUTHORS LIFE.' The Literary Miscellany is a selection of poetic works by eight different writers. The editor(s?) of this book has selected what he (she? they?) believes are the best works of these poets and collected them in a volume. A brief notice on the title page explains that the editor's purpose. He states that the enormous amount of books and literary material that exists and is produced can overwhelm the human mind with useless information; he has taken it upon himself to extract the valuable information from these books and "cast aside the refuse." The editor positions himself as an arbiter of taste and intellect. The text that follows can be read for both education and pleasure. Each selected poet is introduced with a brief biography (Milton and Parnell have the longest biographies). These introductions also contain a certain amount of literary criticism; the editor examines the poets' ouvre and discusses their particular strengths and weaknesses. Following the introductions are extracts from the poets' literary careers. Richard L. Greaves, ‘Pomfret, John (1667–1702)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 | Bryan Coleborne, ‘Parnell, Thomas (1679–1718)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 | Paul Hammond, ‘Dryden, John (1631–1700)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006 | W. H. Kelliher, ‘Denham, Sir John (1614/15–1669)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004 | Hugh de Quehen, ‘Butler, Samuel (bap. 1613, d. 1680)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 | Warren Chernaik, ‘Waller, Edmund (1606–1687)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 | Alexander Lindsay, ‘Cowley, Abraham (1618–1667)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 | Gordon Campbell, ‘Milton, John (1608–1674)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004 | A. L. Cooper, ‘Nicholson, George (1760–1825)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.