Excerpt from A History of English Literature and of the Chief English Writers: Founded Upon the Manual of Thomas B. Shaw

The attempt of the editor in the new edition of The Student's Englzk/z Literature has been to bring the work as far as possible into line with contemporary and authoritative criticism, to harmonise previous editions, especially with regard to the final part of the book, and to provide a manual which, while supplying the ordinary student with necessary facts, may also be of use to the more advanced student and to lovers of English literature generally. The subject, since Mr. Shaw's original work was written, has assumed such important proportions, and the number of authorities is become so incredibly greater, that much that was then matter-of-fact and current criticism is now obsolete. The book, therefore, has been rewritten com pletely; and, while the editor has endeavoured to retain, with as little alteration as possible, all that was most characteristic of the original author's thought and style - as, for example, in the chapters on Shakespeare and Milton - much of it is of necessity entirely new. 'all facts and dates have been carefully and scrupulously verified by comparison with the most recent authorities; and, although it is more than possible that, in so wide a field, some errors may have been overlooked, yet it is believed that the student will find the manual accurate and trustworthy in this respect. The second chapter, on Chaucer, has been rewritten by Professor W. P. Ker. The editor wishes to thank Mr. J. Cooke, of Dublin, and Mr. H. W. Law for the care with which they have read over the proofs of the book, and the valuable advice and help which they have given him in the prosecution of his task.

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