Curiosities of Literature, Vol. II

Curiosities of Literature, Vol. II (of 3)?by Isaac Disraeli

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Title: Curiosities of Literature, Vol. II (of 3) Edited, With Memoir And Notes, By His Son, The Earl Of Beaconsfield
Author: Isaac Disraeli
Release Date: July 24, 2005 [EBook #16350]
Language: English
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[Illustration]
CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE.
BY
ISAAC DISRAELI.
A New Edition
EDITED, WITH MEMOIR AND NOTES,
BY HIS SON,
THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
LONDON: FREDERICK WARNE AND CO. AND NEW YORK

CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.
CHARLES THE FIRST. 1
DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. 5
THE DEATH OF CHARLES IX. 7
ROYAL PROMOTIONS. 10
NOBILITY 11
MODES OF SALUTATION, AND AMICABLE CEREMONIES, OBSERVED IN VARIOUS NATIONS. 12
FIRE, AND THE ORIGIN OF FIREWORKS. 15
THE BIBLE PROHIBITED AND IMPROVED. 19
ORIGIN OF THE MATERIALS OF WRITING. 23
ANECDOTES OF EUROPEAN MANNERS. 30
THE EARLY DRAMA. 40
THE MARRIAGE OF THE ARTS. 43
A CONTRIVANCE IN DRAMATIC DIALOGUE. 47
THE COMEDY OF A MADMAN. 48
SOLITUDE 50
LITERARY FRIENDSHIPS. 55
ANECDOTES OF ABSTRACTION OF MIND. 59
RICHARDSON. 62
INFLUENCE OF A NAME. 65
THE JEWS OF YORK. 75
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEAS. 79
ON THE CUSTOM OF KISSING HANDS. 81
POPES. 83
LITERARY COMPOSITION. 85
POETICAL IMITATIONS AND SIMILARITIES. 92
EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILE. 110
LITERARY FASHIONS. 113
THE PANTOMIMICAL CHARACTERS. 116
EXTEMPORAL COMEDIES. 130
MASSINGER, MILTON, AND THE ITALIAN THEATRE. 137
SONGS OF TRADES, OR SONGS FOR THE PEOPLE. 142
INTRODUCERS OF EXOTIC FLOWERS, FRUITS, ETC. 151
USURERS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 158
CHIDIOCK TITCHBOURNE. 171
ELIZABETH AND HER PARLIAMENT. 179
ANECDOTES OF PRINCE HENRY, THE SON OF JAMES I., WHEN A CHILD. 186
THE DIARY OF A MASTER OF THE CEREMONIES. 194
DIARIES--MORAL, HISTORICAL, AND CRITICAL. 206
LICENSERS OF THE PRESS. 216
OF ANAGRAMS AND ECHO VERSES. 229
ORTHOGRAPHY OF PROPER NAMES. 237
NAMES OF OUR STREETS. 239
SECRET HISTORY OF EDWARD VERE, EARL OF OXFORD. 243
ANCIENT COOKERY, AND COOKS. 245
ANCIENT AND MODERN SATURNALIA. 256
RELIQUI? GETHINIAN?. 270
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 274
CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT DRAMAS. 277
THE HISTORY OF THE THEATRE DURING ITS SUPPRESSION. 281
DRINKING-CUSTOMS IN ENGLAND. 292
LITERARY ANECDOTES. 300
CONDEMNED POETS. 303
ACAJOU AND ZIRPHILE. 308
TOM O'BEDLAMS. 311
INTRODUCTION OF TEA, COFFEE, AND CHOCOLATE. 317
CHARLES THE FIRST'S LOVE OF THE FINE ARTS. 326
SECRET HISTORY OF CHARLES THE FIRST, AND HIS QUEEN HENRIETTA. 836
THE MINISTER--THE CARDINAL DUKE OF RICHELIEU. 340
THE MINISTER--DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, LORD ADMIRAL, LORD GENERAL, &C., &C., &C. 355
FELTON, THE POLITICAL ASSASSIN. 371
JOHNSON'S HINTS FOR THE LIFE OF POPE. 380
MODERN LITERATURE--BAYLE'S CRITICAL DICTIONARY. 382
CHARACTERISTICS OF BAYLE. 383
CICERO VIEWED AS A COLLECTOR. 396
THE HISTORY OF THE CARACCI. 399
AN ENGLISH ACADEMY OF LITERATURE. 406
QUOTATION. 416
THE ORIGIN OF DANTE'S INFERNO. 421
OF A HISTORY OF EVENTS WHICH HAVE NOT HAPPENED. 428
OF FALSE POLITICAL REPORTS. 438
OF SUPPRESSORS AND DILAPIDATORS OF MANUSCRIPTS. 443
PARODIES. 453
ANECDOTES OF THE FAIRFAX FAMILY. 461
MEDICINE AND MORALS. 464
PSALM-SINGING. 472
ON THE RIDICULOUS TITLES ASSUMED BY ITALIAN ACADEMIES. 479
ON THE HERO OF HUDIBRAS; BUTLER VINDICATED. 491
SHENSTONE'S SCHOOL-MISTRESS. 496
BEN JONSON ON TRANSLATION. 500
THE LOVES OF "THE LADY ARABELLA." 502
DOMESTIC HISTORY OF SIR EDWARD COKE. 519
OF COKE'S STYLE, AND HIS CONDUCT. 530
SECRET HISTORY OF AUTHORS WHO HAVE RUINED THEIR BOOKSELLERS. 532

CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE.

CHARLES THE FIRST.
Of his romantic excursion into Spain for the Infanta, many curious particulars are scattered amongst foreign writers, which display the superstitious prejudices which prevailed on this occasion, and, perhaps, develope the mysterious politics of the courts of Spain and Rome.
Cardinal Gaetano, who had long been nuncio in Spain, observes, that the people, accustomed to revere the Inquisition as the oracle of divinity, abhorred the proposal of the marriage of the Infanta with an heretical prince; but that the king's council, and all wise politicians, were desirous of its accomplishment. Gregory XV. held a consultation of cardinals, where it was agreed that the just apprehension which the English catholics entertained of being more cruelly persecuted, if this marriage failed, was a sufficient reason to justify the pope. The dispensation was therefore immediately granted, and sent to the nuncio of Spain, with orders to inform the Prince of Wales, in case of rupture, that no impediment of the marriage proceeded from the court of Rome, who, on the contrary, had expedited the dispensation.
The prince's excursion to Madrid was, however, universally blamed, as being inimical to state interests. Nani, author of a history of Venice, which, according to his digressive manner, is the universal history of his times, has noticed this affair. "The people talked, and the English murmured more than any other nation, to see the only son of the king and heir of his realms venture on so long a voyage, and present himself rather as a hostage, than a husband to a foreign court, which so widely differed in government and religion, to obtain by force of prayer