III. Combative energy-Polemic against the bishops-

Against the king-Enthusiasm and sternness—

Theories on government, church, and education

-Stoicism and virtue-Old age, occupations,

V.

person

IV. Milton's residence in London and the country-

General appearance

Milton as a prose-writer-Changes during three
centuries in countenances and ideas-Heaviness

of his logic-The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce

-Heavy Humour — Animadversions upon the

Remonstrant's Defence-Clumsiness of discussion

-Defensio Populi Anglicani-Violence of his

animosities-The reason of Church Government

Eikonoklastes-Liberality of Doctrines-Of Refor-

mation—Areopagitica-Style-Breadth of elo-

quence-Wealth of imagery-Lyric sublimity

of diction

VI. Milton as a poet-How he approaches and is distinct.

from the poets of the Renaissance-How he gives

poetry a moral tone-Profane poems-L'Allegro

and Il Penseroso-Comus-Lycidas-Religious

poems-Paradise Lost-Conditions of a genuine

epic-They are not to be met with in the age

or in the poet-Comparison of Adam and Eve

with an English family-Comparison of God and

the angels to a monarch's court-The rest of the

poem-Comparison between the sentiments of

Satan and the republican passions-Lyrical and

moral character of the scenery-Loftiness and

sense of the moral ideas-Situation of the poet

and the poem between two ages-Composition of

his genius and his work

PAGE

249

257

258

279

I.

II.

Picture of these manners by a stranger-The Mémoires
de Grammont-Difference of debauchery in France
and England

III. Butler's Hudibras-Platitude of his comic style, and

harshness of his rancorous style

V.

PAGE

320

324

328

332

IV. Baseness, cruelty, brutality, debauchery, of the court.
-Rochester, his life, poems, style, morals

Philosophy consonant with these manners— -Hobbes,

his spirit and his style-His curtailments and

his discoveries-His mathematical method-

In how much he resembles Descartes-His

morality, æsthetics, politics, logic, psychology,

metaphysics-Spirit and aim of his philosophy. 342

VI. The theatre-Alteration in taste, and in the public-
Audiences before and after the Restoration
VII. Dryden Disparity of his comedies-Unskilfulness of
his indecencies-How he translates Molière's

Amphitryon.

VIII. Wycherley-Life-Character-Melancholy, greed,

immodesty-Love in a Wood, Country Wife,

Dancing Master-Licentious pictures, and re-

pugnant details-His energy and realism-Parts

of Olivia and Manly in his Plain Dealer—

Certain words of Milton's Paradise Lost

350

353

357

I.

II.

2. THE WORLDLINGS.

Appearance of the worldly life in Europe-Its

conditions and causes- -How it was established in

England-Etiquette, amusements, conversations,

manners, and talents of the drawing-room

Dawn of the classic spirit in Europe-Its origin—
Its nature-Difference of conversation under

Elizabeth and Charles II.

PAGE

371

375

III.

Sir William Temple-His life, character, spirit, and

style

378

IV. Writers of fashion-Their correct language and

gallant bearing-Sir Charles Sedley, the Earl

of Dorset, Edmund Waller-His opinions and

style Wherein consists his polish-Wherein

he is not sufficiently polished-Culture of style

-Lack of poetry-Character of monarchical and

classic style

v.

Sir John Denham-His poem of Cooper's Hill—

Oratorical swell of his verse-English seriousness

of his moral preoccupations-How people of

fashion and literary men followed then the

fashions of France

VI. The comic-authors-Comparison of this theatre with

that of Molière-Arrangement of ideas in Molière

-General ideas in Molière-How in Molière

the odious is concealed, while the truth is de-

picted-How in Molière the honest man is still

the man of the world-How the respectable man

of Molière is a French type

VII. Action-Complication of intrigues-Frivolity of

purpose-Crudeness of the characters-Grossness

of manners

- Wherein consists the talent of

Wycherley, Congreve, Vanbrugh, and Farquhar-

Kind of characters they are able to produce

385

395

399

409

VIII. Natural characters-Sir John Brute, the husband;

Squire Sullen-Sir Tunbelly, the father-Miss

Hoyden, the young lady-Squire Humphry, the

young gentleman-Idea of nature according to

this theatre.

PAGE

414

IX. Artificial characters-Women of the world-Miss

Prue, Lady Wishfort, Lady Pliant, Mrs. Millamant

-Men of the world-Mirabell-Idea of society

according to this theatre-Why this culture

and this literature have not produced durable

works-Wherein they are opposed to the English

character-Transformation of taste and manners

The continuation of comedy-Sheridan-Life-

Talent-The School for Scandal-How comedy

degenerates and is extinguished-Causes of the

decay of the theatre in Europe and in England. 432

X.

419

HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE.

BOOK II.

THE RENAISSANCE.

CHAPTER III.

Ben Jonson.

I.

WHEN a new civilisation brings a new art to light, there are about a dozen men of talent who partly express the general idea, surrounding one or two men of genius who express it thoroughly. Guillen de Castro, Perez de Montalvan, Tirzo de Molina, Ruiz de Alarcon, Agustin Moreto, surrounding Calderon and Lope de Vega; Crayer, Van Oost, Rombouts, Van Thulden, Van Dyck, Honthorst, surrounding Rubens; Ford, Marlowe, Massinger, Webster, Beaumont, Fletcher, surrounding Shakspeare and Ben Jonson. The first constitute the chorus, the others are the leading men. They sing the same piece together, and at times the chorist is equal to the solo artist; but only at times. Thus, in the dramas which I have just referred to, the poet occasionally reaches the summit of his art, hits. upon a complete character, a burst of sublime passion;

VOL. II.

B