Chapter I: Preface

The general purpose in the preparation of this book has been to eliminate negligible detail and to subordinate or omit authors of minor importance in order to stress the men and the movements that are most significant in American intellectual history. The book has therefore been written with a view to showing the drift of American thought as illustrated by major writers or groups and as revealed by a careful study of one or two cardinal works by each. In this sequence of thought the growth of American self-consciousness and the changing ideals of American patriotism have been kept in mind throughout. The attempt is made to induce _study_ of representative classics and _extensive reading_ of the American literature which illuminates the past of the country--chiefly, of course, in reminiscent fiction, drama, and poetry.

As an aid to the student, there are appended to each chapter (except the last three) topics and problems for study, and book lists which summarize the output of each man, indicate available editions, and point to the critical material which may be used as a supplement, but not as a substitute, for first-hand study. This critical material has been selected with a view, also, to suggesting books which might reasonably be included in libraries of normal schools and colleges, as well as in universities.

As further aids to the student, there have been included two maps, three chronological charts, and, in an appendix, a brief characterization of the American periodicals which have been most significant in stimulating American authorship by providing a market for fiction, poetry, and the essay.

In the writing of the book the author's chief obligation has naturally been to the many university classes who have stimulated its preparation, not only by their attention but by their free discussion. Special acknowledgment is gratefully made to Mr. William W. Ellsworth for a careful reading of all the manuscript and to Miss Marie Gulbransen for the initial work in formulating the appendix on the American magazines.

Acknowledgment is due to the publishers of _The Nation_ and _The New Republic_ for portions of the chapters on Crèvecoeur, the Poetry of the Revolution, Emerson, Lowell, Whitman, Sill, and Miller, which originally appeared in these weeklies.

PERCY H. BOYNTON

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 1

II. THE EARLIEST VERSE 17

III. THE TRANSITION TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 27

IV. JONATHAN EDWARDS AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 41

V. CRÈVECOEUR, THE "AMERICAN FARMER" 59

VI. THE POETRY OF THE REVOLUTION AND PHILIP FRENEAU 69

VII. THE EARLY DRAMA 89

VIII. CHARLES BROCKDEN BROWN 100

IX. IRVING AND THE KNICKERBOCKER SCHOOL 110

X. JAMES FENIMORE COOPER 141

XI. WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT 158

XII. EDGAR ALLAN POE 173

XIII. THE TRANSCENDENTALISTS 190

XIV. RALPH WALDO EMERSON 199

XV. HENRY DAVID THOREAU 221

XVI. NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE 236

XVII. JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER 252

XVIII. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW 267

XIX. JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL 282

XX. HARRIET BEECHER STOWE 299

XXI. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES 310

XXII. SOME METROPOLITAN POETS 324

XXIII. THE POETRY OF THE SOUTH 343

XXIV. WALT WHITMAN 362

XXV. THE WEST AND MARK TWAIN 380

XXVI. THE WEST IN SILL AND MILLER 396

XXVII. THE RISE OF FICTION; WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS 411

XXVIII. CONTEMPORARY DRAMA 437

XXIX. THE LATER POETRY 453

INDEX TO LEADING NINETEENTH-CENTURY PERIODICALS 487

INDEX 503

A HISTORY OF AMERICAN
LITERATURE

THE COLONIAL PERIOD