Beacon Lights of History, Volume 13

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Beacon Lights of History, Volume XIII, by

John Lord
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Title: Beacon Lights of History, Volume XIII
Author: John Lord
Release Date: January 8, 2004 [eBook #10648]
Language: English
Character set encoding: iso-8859-1
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LORD'S LECTURES
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY, VOLUME XIII
GREAT WRITERS.
Dr Lord's Uncompleted Plan, Supplemented with Essays by Emerson, Macaulay, Hedge, And Mercer Adam
BY JOHN LORD, LL.D.,
AUTHOR OF "THE OLD ROMAN WORLD," "MODERN EUROPE," ETC., ETC.

PUBLISHERS' PREFACE.
This being the last possible volume in the series of "Beacon Lights of History" from the pen of Dr. Lord, its readers will be interested to know that it contains all the lectures that he had completed (although not all that he had projected) for his review of certain of the chief Men of Letters. Lectures on other topics were found among his papers, but none that would perfectly fit into this scheme; and it was thought best not to attempt any collection of his material which he himself had not deemed worthy or appropriate for use in this series, which embodies the best of his life's work,--all of his books and his lectures that he wished to have preserved. For instance, "The Old Roman World," enlarged in scope and rewritten, is included in the volumes on "Old Pagan Civilizations," "Ancient Achievements," and "Imperial Antiquity;" much of his "Modern Europe" reappears in "Great Rulers," "Modern European Statesmen," and "European National Leaders," etc.
The consideration of "Great Writers" was reserved by Dr. Lord for his final task,--a task interrupted by death and left unfinished. In order to round out and complete this volume, recourse has been had to some other masters in literary art, whose productions are added to Dr. Lord's final writings.
In the present volume, therefore, are included the paper on "Shakspeare" by Emerson, reprinted from his "Representative Men" by permission of Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., the authorized publishers of Emerson's works; the famous essay on "Milton" by Macaulay; the principal portion--biographical and generally critical--of the article on "Goethe," from "Hours with the German Classics," by the late Dr. Frederic H. Hedge, by permission of Messrs. Little, Brown & Co., the publishers of that work; and a chapter on "Tennyson: the Spirit of Modern Poetry," by G. Mercer Adam.
A certain advantage may accrue to the reader in finding these masters side by side for comparison and for gauging Dr. Lord's unique life-work by recognized standards, keeping well in view the purpose no less than the perfection of these literary performances, all of which, like those of Dr. Lord, were aimed at setting forth the services of selected forces in the world's life.
NEW YORK, September 15, 1902.

CONTENTS.
ROUSSEAU.
SOCIALISM AND EDUCATION.
Jean Jacques Rousseau and Edmund Burke Rousseau representative of his century Birth Education and early career; engraver, footman Secretary, music teacher, and writer Meets Th��r��se His first public essay in literature Operetta and second essay Geneva; the Hermitage; Madame d'��pinay. The "Nouvelle H��lo?se;" Comtesse d'Houdetot "��mile;" "The Social Contract" Books publicly burned; author flees England; Hume; the "Confessions" Death, career reviewed Character of Rousseau Essay on the Arts and Sciences "Origin of Human Inequalities" "The Social Contract" "��mile" The "New H��lo?se" The "Confessions" Influence of Rousseau
SIR WALTER SCOTT.
THE MODERN NOVEL.
Scott and Byron Evanescence of literary fame Parentage of Scott Birth and childhood Schooling and reading Becomes an advocate His friends and pleasures Personal peculiarities Writing of poetry; first publication Marriage and settlement "Scottish Minstrelsy" "Lay of the Last Minstrel;" Ashestiel rented The Edinburgh Review: Jeffrey, Brougham, Smith The Ballantynes "Marmion" Jeffrey as a critic Quarrels of author and publishers; Quarterly Review Scott's poetry Duration of poetic fame Clerk of Sessions; Abbotsford bought "Lord of the Isles;" "Rokeby" Fiction; fame of great authors "Waverley" "Guy Mannering" Great popularity of Scott "The Antiquary" "Old Mortality;" comparisons "Rob Roy" Scotland's debt to Scott Prosperity; rank; correspondence Personal habits Life at Abbotsford Chosen friends Works issued in 1820-1825 Bankruptcy through failure of his publishers Scott's noble character and action Works issued in 1825-1831 Illness and death Payment of his enormous debt Vast pecuniary returns from his works
LORD BYRON.
POETIC GENIUS.
Difficulty of depicting Byron Descent; birth; lameness Schooling; early reading habits College life Temperament and character First publication of poems Savage criticism by Edinburgh Review "English Bards and Scotch Reviewers" Byron becomes a peer Loneliness and melancholy; determines to travel Portugal; Spain Malta; Greece; Turkey Profanity of language in Byron's time "Childe Harold" Instant fame and popularity Consideration of the poem Marries Miss Milbanke; separation Genius