Smyrna times., 1891-02-04
For the Smyrna Times
English Literature.

Literature, like every other mental
product, is qualified by the history of
the nation to which it belongs. The
great social eras of a country's history
have always been found to correspond
with the great intellectual eras of her
growth. IL will, however, be neces-
sary to arrange the literary annals of
Literature into periods.
The English literature begins with
the age of CHANGER, about the year
1850. This period is one of great i'm
pOrtance in the progress of English
literature, and it was in this period
that Godfrey Chaucer, the genuine
father of English Poetry, published his
Canterbury Tales, a series of sportive
and pathetic narratives, told with such
a wonderful power of tenderness and
humOr in such pleasing and simple
style, that they have been the wonder
and delight of all succeeding ages
The era of which we are next to
look, the EIizabethan, is the most bril-
liant in the literary history of England
For, in that short period, We shall find
the names of almost all the great men
that the nation has ever produced. I
mention Shakespeare, Bacon, Sidney
Spencer, men not merely Of great tai
ents and accomplishments, but of vast
compass and reach of understanding,
and of minds truly creative.
The age of Milton was characterized
by continued strife and controversy,
both p0liticaland religious. A few great
authors came to the surface, and among
these the most noted was John Mil
ton, whse whole genius expressed itself
in Paradise Lost" This romance oil
a sublime conception, was adapted to
his ready ability and fine delination.
In the age known as the "Restora-
ton and Revolution" the literature
was disgraced by Its indecency. The
literary chief of the time was John
Dryden. According to Dr. johnson
he found the English language and a:
applied to the Improvement made by
him-that he found it o brick, and lef
it of marble"
The age of Queen Anne is remarka
BILE for the introduction of periodical
literature. 1t was in this age that th
earliest library journals Gourished
The greatest poet of this period wa
Alex. Pope. He was also the greates
master of didactic poetry, more so be
cause of the masterly form in which i
was put.
The age of johnson, which include
the last halt of the 18th century, pr,
sents literature of a higher cultur
than that of the preceding age. Th
poetry of the time is represented b
, Gray and COwper. Inoomparably tn
greatest poet of this age was Rober
Burns, and Oliver Goldsmith takes th
lead among the novelists.
No era in English literature presen
so many masters of verse as the age
Scott. Wordsworth, Coleridge, Moor
> and Byron stand among the mo,
prominent.
. The last era, the Victorian age" h.
been more prolific of greas writers lha
. any other age, In it are found Tenn,
son, Mrs. Browning and Miss Ingelo,
the chief poets of the age; Macauls
y aud Froude, the historians; Thacl
e cray, Dickens and Geo. Eliot. the no
Il elists; Carlyle the essayist, with mar
;. more, rise beforethe mind when one tri
g to sieze upon the great living authors
D. the age or those recently dead. b,
u of few ancient writers have we ev
v heard, and even of the authors who a
le near our own time, not many are :
membered. In truth, time, like
Is mighty giant, treads down everythin
q, before him here and there he spar
a great name to mark the existence
er former ages; but the rest he trampl
10 under foot and sinks them in obliyio
re Nelrark, Del.