Handbook of Universal Literature

Handbook of Universal
Literature

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Title: Handbook of Universal Literature From The Best and Latest
Authorities

Author: Anne C. Lynch Botta
Release Date: May, 2005 [EBook #8163] [Yes, we are more than one
year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on June 23, 2003]
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HANDBOOK OF UNIVERSAL LITERATURE ***

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Proofreading Team.

HANDBOOK OF UNIVERSAL LITERATURE FROM THE BEST
AND LATEST AUTHORITIES BY ANNE C. LYNCH BOTTA

PREFATORY NOTE TO THE REVISED EDITION.
Since the first publication of this work in 1860, many new names have
appeared in modern literature. Japan, hitherto almost unknown to
Europeans, has taken her place among the nations with a literature of
her own, and the researches and discoveries of scholars in various parts
of the world have thrown much light on the literatures of antiquity. To
keep pace with this advance, a new edition of the work has been called
for. Prefixed is a very brief summary of an important and exhaustive
History of the Alphabet recently published.

PREFACE.
This work was begun many years ago, as a literary exercise, to meet the
personal requirements of the writer, which were such as most persons
experience on leaving school and "completing their education," as the
phrase is. The world of literature lies before them, but where to begin,
what course of study to pursue, in order best to comprehend it, are the

problems which present themselves to the bewildered questioner, who
finds himself in a position not unlike that of a traveler suddenly set
down in an unknown country, without guide-book or map. The most
natural course under such circumstances would be to begin at the
beginning, and take a rapid survey of the entire field of literature,
arriving at its details through this general view. But as this could be
accomplished only by subjecting each individual to a severe and
protracted course of systematic study, the idea was conceived of
obviating this necessity to some extent by embodying the results of
such a course in the form of the following work, which, after being
long laid aside, is now at length completed.
In conformity with this design, standard books have been condensed,
with no alterations except such as were required to give unity to the
whole work; and in some instances a few additions have been made.
Where standard works have not been found, the sketches have been
made from the best sources of information, and submitted to the
criticism of able scholars.
The literatures of different nations are so related, and have so
influenced each other, that it is only by a survey of all that any single
literature, or even any great literary work, can be fully comprehended,
as the various groups and figures of a historical picture must be viewed
as a whole, before they can assume their true place and proportions.
A.C.L.B.

CONTENTS.
LIST OF AUTHORITIES
INTRODUCTION.
THE ALPHABET. 1. The Origin of Letters.--2. The Phoenician
Alphabet and Inscriptions.-- 3. The Greek Alphabet. Its Three
Epochs.--4. The Mediaeval Scripts. The Irish. The Anglo-Saxon. The
Roman. The Gothic. The Runic. CLASSIFICATION OF
LANGUAGES
CHINESE LITERATURE.
1. Chinese Literature.--2. The Language.--3. The Writing.--4. The Five
Classics and Four Books.--5. Chinese Religion and Philosophy. Lao-tsé.
Confucius. Meng-tsé or Mencius.--6. Buddhism.--7. Social
Constitution of China.--8. Invention of Printing.--9. Science, History,

and Geography. Encyclopaedias.--10. Poetry.--11. Dramatic Literature
and Fiction.--12. Education in China.
JAPANESE LITERATURE.
1. The Language.--2. The Religion.--3. The Literature. Influence of
Women.--4. History.--5. The Drama and Poetry.--6. Geography.
Newspapers. Novels. Medical Science.--7. Position of Woman.
SANSKRIT LITERATURE.
1. The Language.--2. The Social Constitution of India. Brahmanism.--3.
Characteristics of the Literature and its Divisions.--4. The Vedas and
other Sacred Books.--5. Sanskrit Poetry; Epic; the Ramayana and
Mahabharata. Lyric Poetry. Didactic Poetry; the