Oscar Adams - A Brief Handbook of English Authors

This brief handbook is intended simply for every-day use, when reference to larger works of the kind may not be convenient. Experience has proved that the small book which can be readily taken up is consulted far more frequently than the ponderous volume that requires great muscular exertion to lift.

In the world of letters as in the world of society conventionality plays no unimportant part, as every student of literature knows. That there is such a thing as "conventional immortality" every biographical dictionary yields abundant evidence. Even so small a work as this must necessarily contain many names that have achieved this conventional immortality through the accident of circumstance. Some literary fames are among the legacies left by preceding centuries to the present one to account for and explain. And when all is said, "the iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy and dealeth with the memory of men without distinction to merit of perpetuity."

Erie, Pa., October 28, 1883 .

Abbott, Edwin A.1838 – . Shakespearean scholar. Author of a Shakespearean Grammar, a Handbook of Elizabethan English, etc. Pub. Mac. Rob.

A'Becket, Gilbert Abbot.1811–1856. Humorist. Author Comic Hist. of England, Comic Hist. of Rome, Comic Blackstone, etc. Pub. Apl. Lip.

Adams, Mrs. Sarah (Flower).1805–1848. Known chiefly by her hymn, "Nearer, my God, to Thee."

Adams, Wm.1814–1848. Religious writer. Author of Sacred Allegories, etc. See Edition of 1869, with Life. Pub. Lip.

Addison, Joseph.1672–1719. Essayist and poet. His tragedy of Cato is now little read, but his Hymns still continue deservedly popular. As a prose writer A. has exercised an influence upon the manners, morals, and general culture of his time not easily overestimated. His style is graceful, gentle, and persuasive. With Steele he created the Periodical Essay, and was the chief contributor to the Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian. See Thackeray's Eng. Humorists , Aikin's Memorials of Addison. Pub. Har. Lip.

Aguilar[ä-ge-lar´], Grace.1816–1847. Novelist. Home Influence, Woman's Friendship, and Days of Bruce are her chief works. Pub. Apl. Har.

Aikin[ā´kin], John.1747–1822. Biographer and miscellaneous writer. One of the authors of Evenings at Home. Pub. Har.

Aikin, Lucy.1781–1864. Dau. to J. A. Historian and poet. Author Memoirs of the Courts of Elizabeth, James I., Charles I., Memorials of Addison, etc.

Ainsworth, Robert.1660–1743. Classical lexicographer.

Ainsworth, Wm. Francis.1807 – . Geologist and traveller. Author Travels in Asia Minor, Researches in Assyria, Babylonia, and Chaldea, etc.

Ainsworth, Wm. Harrison.1805–1882. Cousin to W. F. A. Novelist. His historical novels are numerous, but Jack Sheppard is his most famous work, and has been 8 times dramatized. His popularity has been very great, many of his works having been translated into most European languages, yet their literary merit is not high, and the influence of Jack Sheppard, in particular, is pernicious. Pub. Har. Rou. Pet.

Airy, George Biddell.1801 – . Astronomer. Author Essays on the Invasion of Britain by Julius Cæsar, and numerous scientific papers of value.

Akenside, Mark.1721–1770. Poet and physician. Author of a philosophical poem in blank verse on The Pleasures of the Imagination. Pub. Hou.

Alcuin[ăl´-kwin]. c. 735–804. Abp. York. Writer of Latin commentaries, dogmatic treatises, and numerous Latin poems.

Aldhelm.656–709. Anglo-Latin poet. His principal theme is the praise of virginity, on which he has written in both prose and verse.

Alexander, Adam.1741–1809. Scotch grammarian. Author of Classical Biog. etc.

Alexander, Mrs. Cecil Frances.18 – . Poet. Best known by her famous poem, The Burial of Moses. Pub. Dut. Mac.

Alexander, Mrs.Novelist. See Hector, Mrs. Annie Alexander.

Alexander, Wm.c. 1580–1640. Scotch poet. Author Recreations with the Muses, Doomsday, etc. Style didactic and heavy. See Ward's Eng. Poets, vol. 2.

Alford[awl'ford], Henry.1810–1871. Dean of Canterbury. Author of Poems, a valuable edition of the Greek Testament, a much criticised Plea for the Queen's English, etc. See Life, Journals, and Letters. See Moon's The Dean's English. Pub. Har. Ran. Rou.

Alfred the Great.848–901. The Father of English Prose. An untiring scholar whose labors gave form and dignity to the English tongue. His translations from the Latin are numerous and valuable, among them being Bæda's Ecclesiastical History and Boethius's Consolations of Philosophy. See Green's Making of England.

Alfric.– 1006. Abp. Canterbury. A noted theologian and grammarian. His 80 Homilies his chief work. He translated the books of Moses and wrote many theological works.

Alison, Archibald.1757–1839. Scotch theological writer. Essays on Taste, etc. Pub. Har.

Alison, Sir Archibald.1792–1867. Son to preceding. Historian. Author of a Hist. of Europe in 18 vols. and a Life of Marlborough. Pub. Har.

Allein[ăl'lĕn], Joseph.1633–1668. Theologian. Author of Alarm to the Unconverted.

Allen, Chas. Grant.1848 – . Author of Physiological Æsthetics, Color and Sense, Force and Energy, etc. Pub. Apl.

Allingham, Wm.1828 – . Irish poet. Author Day and Night Songs, Songs, Ballads and Stories, etc. Pub. Mac.

A. L. O. E.See Tucker, Charlotte.

Andrews, Lancelot.1555–1626. Bp. Winchester. The most eminent preacher of his time, and a High Church theologian of great rigor and learning. He was one of the translators of the Bible and author of 4 vols. of Sermons and a Manual of Private Devotions. Style involved and artificial. Pub. Dut.

Anster, John.1798–1867. Irish poet. Author of a much admired translation of Faust.

Anstey, Christopher.1724–1805. Poet. The New Bath Guide (pub. 1766) is his chief work and was the most popular book of its day. It is a lively, versified description of life and manners of Bath. See his Works, pub. 1808, with Life, by his son.

Arbuthnot[är´bŭth-not], John.1675–1735. Humorist. Author Hist. John Bull, Art of Political Lying, Memoirs of P. P. Clark of this Parish, and supposed author of the greater part of the famous satire upon the abuses of learning, the Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus.

Armstrong, John.1709–1779. Scotch poet and physician. Author of the Art of Preserving Health, a poem of much originality of style.

Arnold, Edwin.1832 – . Poet and journalist. His chief work, The Light of Asia, gives him a high rank among modern poets. The subject is the life of Buddha. He has translated much from the Sanskrit, and is the author of Griselda, Lyrical and Dramatic Poems, The Indian Song of Songs, Pearls of the Faith, etc. Style elevated and versification musical. Pub. Rob.

Arnold, Matthew.1822 – . Son to succeeding. Poet and essayist. His poetry is pervaded by a vein of doubt and mistrust, although elevated in character and of great merit. Tristram and Iseult, and Thyrsis, an elegy on the poet Clough, are among his best poems. His prose works are numerous and important. Literature and Dogma, and Essays in Criticism are among the best known. The phrase "sweetness and light" was made familiar by him. See Hutton's Essays, Swinburne's Essays and Studies, Stedman's Victorian Poets, Edinburgh Rev. April, 1869. Pub. Har. Mac. Ho. Ste.