Chapter I: Front Matter

A JAR OF HONEY FROM MOUNT HYBLA

A JAR OF HONEY FROM MOUNT HYBLA

BY LEIGH HUNT

_ILLUSTRATED BY RICHARD DOYLE_

A NEW EDITION

LONDON
SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE
1883

TO
HORACE SMITH,
WHO, THOUGH HE SUPPRESSES THE PASTORALS WHICH HE WROTE
IN HIS YOUTH,
WILL RETAIN AS LONG AS HE LIVES,
A HEART OPEN TO EVERY NATURAL AND NOBLE IMPRESSION,
THESE PAGES,
WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE, BUT CONFIDING IN HIS INDULGENCE,
ARE INSCRIBED,
BY HIS EVER GRATEFUL AND AFFECTIONATE FRIEND,
LEIGH HUNT.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHRISTMAS AND ITALY: OR, A PREFATORY ESSAY, SHOWING THE EXTREME
FITNESS OF THIS BOOK FOR THE SEASON 1

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY.

A BLUE JAR FROM SICILY, AND A BRASS JAR FROM THE “ARABIAN
NIGHTS;” AND WHAT CAME OUT OF EACH 25

CHAPTER II. SICILY, AND ITS MYTHOLOGY.

ISLAND OF SICILY, AND MOUNT ÆTNA.--STORIES OF TYPHŒUS,
POLYPHEMUS, SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS, GLAUCUS AND SCYLLA, ALPHEUS
AND ARETHUSA, THE SIRENS, AND THE RAPE OF PROSERPINE 34

CHAPTER III. GLANCES AT ANCIENT SICILIAN HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

VICISSITUDES OF SICILIAN GOVERNMENT.--GLANCES AT PHALARIS,
STESICHORUS, EMPEDOCLES, HIERO I., SIMONIDES, EPICHARMUS,
DIONYSIUS I., DAMON AND PYTHIAS, DAMOCLES, DIONYSIUS II., DION,
PLATO, AGATHOCLES, HANNIBAL, HIERO II., THEOCRITUS, ARCHIMEDES,
MARCELLUS, VERRES; AND PARTICULARS RELATING TO GELLIAS 58

CHAPTER IV. THEOCRITUS.

PASTORAL POETRY.--SPECIMENS OF THE STRENGTH AND COMIC HUMOUR OF
THEOCRITUS.--THE PRIZE-FIGHT BETWEEN POLLUX AND AMYCUS.--THE
SYRACUSAN GOSSIPS 71

CHAPTER V. THEOCRITUS.--(CONCLUDED.)

SPECIMENS OF THE PATHOS AND PASTORAL OF THEOCRITUS.--THE CYCLOPS
IN LOVE.--POETICAL FEELING AMONG UNEDUCATED CLASSES IN THE
SOUTH.--PASSAGES FROM THEOCRITUS’S FIRST IDYLL.--HIS
VERSIFICATION AND MUSIC.--PASTORAL OF BION AND MOSCHUS 88

CHAPTER VI. NORMAN TIMES--LEGEND OF KING ROBERT.

HOW KING ROBERT OF SICILY WAS DISPOSSESSED OF HIS THRONE; AND
WHO SAT UPON IT.--HIS WRATH, SUFFERINGS, AND REPENTANCE 107

CHAPTER VII. ITALIAN AND ENGLISH PASTORAL.

TASSO’S ERMINIA AMONG THE SHEPHERDS, AND ODE ON THE GOLDEN
AGE.--GUARINI’S RETURN OF SPRING.--SHEPHERD’S VISION OF THE
HUNDRED MAIDENS IN SPENSER.--“SAD SHEPHERD” OF BEN JONSON 123

CHAPTER VIII. ENGLISH PASTORAL--(CONTINUED); AND SCOTCH PASTORAL.

FLETCHER’S “FAITHFUL SHEPHERDESS.”--PROBABLE REASON OF ITS
NON-SUCCESS.--“COMUS” AND “LYCIDAS.”--DR. JOHNSON’S “WORLD.”--
BURNS AND ALLAN RAMSAY 147

CHAPTER IX. ENGLISH PASTORAL.--(CONCLUDED.)

PASTORALS OF WILLIAM BROWNE.--PASTORAL MEN: CERVANTES,
BOCCACCIO, CHAUCER, COWLEY, THOMSON, SHENSTONE, ETC. 162

CHAPTER X. RETURN TO SICILY AND MOUNT ÆTNA.

SUBJECT OF MOUNT ÆTNA RESUMED:--ITS BEAUTIES--ITS HORRORS--
REASON WHY PEOPLE ENDURE THEM.--LOVE-STORY OF AN EARTHQUAKE 177

CHAPTER XI. BEES.

THE BEAUTIFUL NEVER TO BE THANKED TOO MUCH, OR TO BE
SUFFICIENTLY EXPRESSED.--BEES AND THEIR ELEGANCE.--THEIR ADVICE
TO AN ITALIAN POET.--WAXEN TAPERS.--A BEE DRAMA.--MASSACRES OF
DRONES.--HUMAN PROGRESSION 198