Beacon Lights of History, Volume 13 | Page 2

Miss Milbanke; separation Genius and marriage "The Corsair;" "Bride of Abydos" Evil reputation; loss of public favor Byron leaves England forever Switzerland; the Shelleys; new poems Degrading life in Venice Wonderful labors amid dissipation The Countess Guiccioli Two sides to Byron's character His power and fertility Inexcusable immorality; "Don Juan" "Manfred" and "Cain" not irreligious but dramatic Byron not atheistical but morbid Many noble traits and actions Generosity and fidelity in friendship Eulogies by Scott and Moore Byron's interest in the Greek Revolution Devotes himself to that cause Raises ￡10,000 and embarks for Greece Collects troops in his own pay His latest verses Illness from vexation and exposure Death and burial The verdict
THOMAS CARLYLE.
CRITICISM AND BIOGRAPHY.
Froude's Biography of Carlyle Brief résumé of Carlyle's career Parentage and birth Slender education; school-teaching Abandons clerical intentions to become a writer "Elements of Geometry;" "Life of Schiller;" "Wilhelm Meister" Marries Jane Welsh Her character Edinburgh and Craigenputtock Essays: "German Literature" Goethe's "Helena" "Burns" "Life of Heyne;" "Voltaire" "Characteristics" Wholesome and productive life at Craigenputtock "Dr. Johnson" Friendship with Ralph Waldo Emerson "Sartor Resartus" Carlyle removes to London Begins "The French Revolution" Manuscript accidentally destroyed Habits of great authors in rewriting Publication of the work; Carlyle's literary style Better reception in America than in England Carlyle begins lecturing Popular eloquence in England Carlyle and the Chartists "Heroes and Hero Worship" "Past and Present" Carlyle becomes bitter "Latter-Day Pamphlets" "Life of Oliver Cromwell" Carlyle's confounding right with might Great merits of Carlyle as historian Death of Mrs. Carlyle Success of Carlyle established "Frederick the Great" Decline of the author's popularity Public honors; private sorrow Final illness and death Carlyle's place in literature
LORD MACAULAY.
ARTISTIC HISTORICAL WRITING.
Macaulay's varied talents Descent and parentage Birth and youth Education Character; his greatness intellectual rather than moral College career Enters the law His early writings; poetry; essay on Milton Social success; contemporaries Enters politics and Parliament Sent to India; secretary board of education Essays in the Reviews Limitations as a statesman Devotion to literature Personal characteristics Return to London and public office Still writing essays; "Warren Hastings," "Clive" Special public appreciation in America Drops out of Parliament; begins "History of England" Prodigious labor; extent and exactness of his knowledge Self-criticism; brilliancy of style Some inconsistencies Public honors Remarkable successes; re-enters Parliament Illness and growing weakness Conclusion of the History; foreign and domestic honors Resigns seat in Parliament Social habits Literary tastes Final illness and death; his fame
SHAKSPEARE; OR, THE POET.
BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
The debt of genius to its age and preceding time.
The era of Shakspeare favorable to dramatic entertainments.
The stage a substitute for the newspaper of his era.
The poet draws upon extant materials--the lime and mortar to his hand.
Plays which show the original rock on which his own finer stratum is laid.
In drawing upon tradition and upon earlier plays the poet's memory is taxed equally with his invention.
All originality is relative; every thinker is retrospective.
The world's literary treasure the result of many a one's labor; centuries have contributed to its existence and perfection.
Shakspeare's contemporaries, correspondents, and acquaintances.
Work of the Shakspeare Society in gathering material to throw light upon the poet's life, and to illustrate the development of the drama.
His external history meagre; Shakspeare is the only biographer of Shakspeare.
What the sonnets and the dramas reveal of the poet's mind and character.
His unique creative power, wisdom of life, and great gifts of imagination.
Equality of power in farce, tragedy, narrative, and love-songs.
Notable traits in the poet's character and disposition; his tone pure, sovereign, and cheerful.
Despite his genius, he shares the halfness and imperfection of humanity.
A seer who saw all things to convert them into entertainments, as master of the revels to mankind.
JOHN MILTON: POET AND PATRIOT.
BY THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY.
His long-lost essay on Doctrines of Christianity.
As a poet, his place among the greatest masters of the art.
Unfavorable circumstances of his era, born "an age too late".
A rude era more favorable to poetry.
The poetical temperament highest in a rude state of society.
Milton distinguished by the excellence of his Latin verse.
His genius gives to it an air of nobleness and freedom.
Characteristics and magical influence of Milton's poetry.
Mechanism of his language attains exquisite perfection.
"L'Allegro" and "II Penseroso," "Comus" and "Samson Agonistes" described.
"Comus" properly more lyrical than dramatic.
Milton's preference for "Paradise Regained" over "Paradise Lost".
Contrasts between Milton and Dante.
Milton's handling of supernatural beings in his poetry.
His art of communicating his meaning through succession of associated ideas.
Other contrasts between Milton and Dante--the mysterious and the picturesque in their verse.
Milton's fiends wonderful creations, not metaphysical abstractions.
Moral qualities of Milton and Dante.
The Sonnets simple but majestic records of the poet's feelings.
Milton's public conduct that of a man of high spirit and powerful intellect.
Eloquent champion of the principles of freedom.
His public conduct to be esteemed in the light of the times, and of its great question whether the resistance of the people to