A New Library Of Poetry And Song

A NEW LIBRARY OF POETRY AND SONG EDITED BY WILLIAM CUL LEN BRYANT-WITH HIS REVIEW OF POETS AND POETRY FROM THE TIME OF CHAUCEfr REVISED AND ENLARGED WITH RECENT AUTHORS, AND CONTAINING A DIC TIONARY OF POETICAL QUOTATIONS pictorial anb portrait Illustrations NEW YORK FORDS, HOWARD AND HULBERT Copyright, IN 1870 AND 1877, Hv J B. KURD AND COMPANY IN 1880, 1886, AND 1895, BY KURDS, HOWARD, AND HULBKKT. indexed PUBLISHERS PREFACE. STANWWI by general consent in the front rank of its class, since its first iaue in 1870, Bryants Library of Poetry and Song is one of the perennial standards. The name Library, which was given it, indicates the principle upon which the book has been made, namely that it might serve as a book of reference as a comprehensive exhibit of the history, growth, and condition of poetical literature and, more especially, as a companion, at the will of its possessor, for the varying moods of the mind. Mr. Bryants broad sympathies and pure taste secured in the original edition a selection at once full and choice. Yet, in the desire to better it and keep it fresh, almost the latest literary labor of his life was a thorough revision and enlargement of this Family Library, as he was wont to call it and since that time it has been again revised, and made more useful by the addition of certain valuable features and representative poems from authors of more recent fame. In all this labor, the chief aim of the collec tion - to present an array of good poetry so widely representative and so varied in its tone as to offer an answering chord to every mood and phase of human feeling has been carefully kept in view, both in the selection aud the arrangement of its contents. So that, inall senses, the realization of its significant title has been an objective point. In pursuance of this plan, the highest standard of literary criticism has not been made the only test of worth for selection, since many poenis have been included which, though less perfect than others in form, have, by some power of touching the heart, gained and maintained a sure place in the popular esteem. In its present form, this Library is believed to be the most complete of all the anthologies. Perhaps the most notable of the new features, aside from the new poems, is the addition to each of the Departments as Childhood and Youth, Love Nature, etc. of a number of briefer poetical quotations under the general head of Fragments. These, in their careful classifi cation, include, together with the complete poenis in the work, nearly every well-known passage and phrase in the poetical literature of the language, iii iv PUBLISHERS IUKFACK. being the result of much original reading, as well as consultation i Addington, Mrs. Hale, Watson, Alliboue, Bartlott, and othor collections of such passages, Bartlett being easily the chief. To make them ivudily accessible, either in finding a specific fragment or in Nwm. hing for quotations on particular subjects, there is also an analytical index, or Dictionary of Poetical Quotations, giving some fifteen thousand ivfcivrnvn under alphabetically arranged key-words. The Publishers desire to return their cordial thanks for tho eourttwy freely extended to them, by which many copyrighted American poonro liuvr been allowed to appear in this collection. In regard to a largo number of them, permission has been accorded by the authors thainmdvus other poems, having beengathered as waifs and strays, have bciun lUKWMHurily used without a special authority and, where due credit, is not ivun, or where the authorship may Lave been erroneously ascribed, futim editions will afford opportunity for correction, which will be gladly mada 1 tuiiculitr acknowledgments are offered to Messrs. D. AITLKTON 0. for ox tracts from the works of Fite-Greene Halleck and from the pooms of Witlium Oullen Bryant to Messrs. HAKPEK BKOTHKHS, for plains of Charles Q-. Halpiue and Will Oarleton to Messrs. J...