I. THE FIRST BOOKS IN THE WORLD Scribes and priests-The works of Confucius-Latin literature— Achilles the hero-Helen of Troy-The rank and file-The Iliad -The wrath of Achilles-The forge of Vulcan-The wander- ings of Ulysses-The writing of the Odyssey-Ulysses' adven- A book of many books-The Israelites-The people of the Old V. THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST The Vedas of the Brahmans-Thirty-three thousand gods-The Words and phrases-The great god Pan-Mercury's son-Cupid and Psyche The road to ruin--The chariot of the Sun-Stories of the stars-Perseus and Andromeda-Echo and Narcissus- The Greek spirit-The love of justice, freedom, and truth-The Greek theatre-The dress of actors-Eschylus-Sophocles- The Antigone-Euripides-Aristophanes-Sappho and the Greek Anthology-The Greek orators and historians—Plato— The Roman spirit—Virgil—A national story-Horace-Lu- In darkest Europe-The gradual creation of nationalities-St. Jerome Saint Augustine-The Niebelungen Lied-The Troubadours-Fantastic legends-Dante-Dante and Beatrice -The life of Dante-The Divine Comedy-Froissart's Chron- icles-History of the Fourteenth Century-Chaucer and his contemporaries-The Father of English Poetry-Malory's Morte d' Arthur-A translation from French romances- François Villon, poet and thief-An anomaly. The new learning-The causes of the awakening-Ariosto and Machiavelli-The influence of Italian Renaissance literature- The Renaissance-Rabelais and Montaigne-Cervantes-Don ILLUSTRATIONS "A READING FROM HOMER," BY SIR LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA Photo: Rischgitz Collection. Photo: W. A. Mansell & Co. ENGRAVING, TAKEN FROM A DRAWING IN GELL's Pompeiana, CONSIST- FACING PAGE 10 10 FACSIMILE OF THE PAPYRUS INSCRIBED WITH HIEROGLYPHIC TEXT OF The 11 Photo: W. A. Mansell & Co. PAPYRUS INSCRIBED IN THE HIERATIC CHARACTER WITH AN EGYPTIAN 14 Photo: W. A. Mansell & Co. JEAN MIELOT, A FAMOUS SCHOLAR AND CALLIGRAPHER OF THE MIDDLE 15 Photo: Rischgitz Collection. THE VIRGIN AND CHILD ATTENDED BY ANGELS, FROM A COPY OF THE "OFFICES OF THE VIRGIN" 18 FACING PAGB STORY OF PYGMALION, "THE HEART DESIRES," BY SIR EDWARD BURNE- 25 From a drawing by Paul Chenavard in the Museum, Lyons. Photo: Braun PREPARING FOR THE SIEGE OF TROY 28 38 39 42 43 From a drawing by Paul Chenavard in the Museum, Lyons. Photo: Braun "THE WINE OF CIRCE" (Coloured Illustration) 44 From the painting by Sir Edward Burne-Jones. Reproduced by per- From a drawing by Paul Chenavard in the Museum, Lyons. Photo: Braun "THE FORGE OF VULCAN," BY VELASQUEZ 47 Photo: Rischgitz Collection. "PENELOPE AND HER SUITORS," BY J. W. WATERHOUSE 50 Reproduced by special permission of the Director of the Aberdeen Art "CAPTIVE ANDROMACHE," BY LORD LEIGHTON . 51 From the painting in the Manchester Art Gallery. Photo: Rischgitz "ULYSSES IN PHEACIA," BY RUBENS. 56 Photo: Rischgitz Collection. "CIRCE AND THE COMPANIONS OF ULYSSES" BY BRITON RIVIÈRE, R.A.. HOMER, "THE GREAT BLIND FATHER OF SONG," BY HARRY BATES. MOSES: PROPHET, LAWGIVER, STATESMAN, AS CONCEIVED BY MICHAEL "MOSES BREAKING THE TABLES OF THE LAW," BY REMBRANDT VAN RYN FACING 71 74 "And there WAS A GREAT CRY IN EGYPT," BY ARTHUR HACKER, A.R.A. Reproduced by special permission. 75 "JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH'S DREAMS," BY HAROLD SPEED Reproduced by permission of the artist. 78 Reproduced by kind permission of the British and Foreign Bible Society DAVID, THE GREATEST OF THE HEBREW KINGS. 82 ISAIAH: THE STATESMAN AND PROPHET ROUND WHOSE NAME 83 From Michael Angelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. JEREMIAH: PERHAPS THE FINEST EXAMPLE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OF A 84 From Michael Angelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. EZEKIEL: THE MYSTIC AND PRIEST WHO, MORE THAN ANY OTHER MAN, From Michael Angelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. 85 From the picture in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. Reproduced by "CHRIST WASHING PETER'S FEET," BY FORD MADOX BROWN. 93 MASACCIO'S FRESCO OF ST. PETER VISITED IN PRISON BY ST. PAUL. 99 |