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Courses of Study in Library Science

by Reginald Gordon Williams

By Reginald Gordon Williams · Science · Public domain

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Courses of Study in Library Science is a public-domain classic of science by Reginald Gordon Williams.

The complete text is on this page and the chapter pages below — all 17 chapters, about 19,313 words (~2 hours of reading), free to read online with no signup. Chapters include “Part I.--_c. 500-1500._”, “Part Ii.--_1500-1630._”, “Part Iii.--_1630-1745._”, and more.

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Author
Reginald Gordon Williams
Length
19,313 words · about 2 hours to read
Chapters
17
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Free — public domain

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Part I.--_c. 500-1500._

1. READING.

Albert (E.)--English literature. Chaps. 1-4.

Buchan (J.)--English literature. Section 1 and Appendix.

Long (W. J.)--English literature. Chaps. 1-5.

Brooke (S. A.)--English literature. Chaps. 1-3.

Saintsbury (G.)--English literature. Books 1-4.

Strong (A. T.)--English literature. Chaps. 1-9.

2. REFERENCE.

Brooke (S. A.)--English literature ... to the Conquest. 1908.

Cambridge History of English literature. Vols. 1-3.

Jusserand (J. A. A. J.)--Literary history of English people. Vol. 1.

Schofield (W. H.)--English literature from the Norman Conquest to Chaucer. 1906.

Snell (F. J.) Age of Chaucer, 1346-1400. Handbooks of E.L. 1901.

Snell (F. J.)--Age of transition, 1400-1580. Handbooks of E.L. 1905. 2 vols.

Part Ii.--_1500-1630._

1. READING.

Albert (E.)--English literature. Chaps. 4-5.

Brooke (S. A.)--English literature Chaps. 3-5.

Buchan (J.)--English literature. Sections 2-3.

Long (W. J.)--English literature. Chaps. 6-7.

Saintsbury (G.)--English literature. Books 5-6.

Strong (A. T.)--English literature. Chaps. 10-14.

2. REFERENCE.

Cambridge History of English literature. Vols. 4-6.

Jusserand (J. A. A. J.)--Literary history of the English people. Vols. 2-3.

Saintsbury (G.)--Elizabethan literature, 1560-1660. 1907.

Snell (F. J.)--The age of transition, 1400-1580. 1905.

Seccombe (T.) and Allen (J. W.)--Age of Shakespeare, 1579-1631. Handbooks of E.L. 2 vols. 1904.

Part Iii.--_1630-1745._

1. READING.

Albert (E.)--English literature. Chaps. 6-8.

Brooke (S. A.)--English literature. Chaps. 5-6.

Buchan (J.)--English literature. Sections 4-5.

Long (W. J.)--English literature. Chaps. 8-9.

Saintsbury (G.)--English literature. Books 7-8.

Strong (A. T.)--English literature. Chaps. 15-21.

2. REFERENCE.

Gosse (E.)--From Shakespeare to Pope.

Gosse (E.)--History of 18th century literature, 1660-1780. 1902.

Cambridge History of English literature. Vols. 7-9.

Masterman (J. H. B.)--Age of Milton, 1632-1660. Handbooks of E.L. 1901.

Garnett (R.)--Age of Dryden, 1660-1700. Handbooks of E.L. 1895.

Dennis (John)--Age of Pope, 1700-1744. Handbooks of E.L. 1901.

Part Iv.--_1745-1832._

1. READING.

Seccombe (T.)--Age of Johnson, 1745-1798. Handbooks of E.L. 1902.

Herford (C. H.)--Age of Wordsworth, 1798-1832. Handbooks of E.L. 1905.

Albert (E.)--English literature. Chaps. 9-10.

Brooke (S. A.)--English literature. Chaps. 7-8.

Buchan (J.)--English literature. Sections 5-6.

Long (W. J.)--English literature. Chaps. 9-10.

Saintsbury (G.)--English literature. Books 9-10.

Strong (A. T.)--English literature. Chaps. 22-28.

Bates (K. L.)--American literature. Chaps. 1-3.

Trent (W. P.)--American literature. Parts 1-3.

2. REFERENCE.

Cambridge History of English literature. Vols. 10-12.

Cambridge History of American literature. Vol. 1.

Minto (W.)--Literature of the Georgian era. 1894.

Phelps (W. L.)--The English romantic movement. 1893.

Beers (H. A.)--The English romantic movement. 2 vols. 1910.

Elton (O.)--Survey of English literature, 1780-1830. 2 vols. 1912.

Part V.--_1832-1920._

1. READING.

Saintsbury (G.)--History of 19th century literature, 1780-1895. 1896.

Walker (Hugh)--The age of Tennyson, 1832-1870. Handbooks of E.L. 1897.

Walker (Hugh)--Literature of the Victorian era. 1910.

Walker (Mr. and Mrs. Hugh)--Outline of Victorian literature. 1914.

Albert (E.)--English literature. Chaps. 11-12.

Buchan (J.)--English literature. Section 6.

Long (W. J.)--English literature. Chap. 11.

Saintsbury (G.)--English literature. Book 11.

Strong (A. T.)--English literature. Chaps. 22-23.

Bates (K. L.)--American literature. Chaps. 4-6.

Trent (W. P.)--American literature. Part 4.

2. REFERENCE.

Cambridge history of English literature. Vols. 12-14.

Cambridge history of American literature. Vols. 2-3.

Cunliffe (J. W.)--English literature during the last half century. 1919.

Elton (Oliver)--Survey of English literature, 1830-1880. 2 vols. 1920.

Jackson (Holbrook)--The Eighteen-nineties. 1913.

Kennedy (J. M.)--English literature, 1880-1905. 1912.

Manly (J. M.) and Rickert (E.)--Contemporary American literature: bibliographies and study outlines. 1923.

Manly (J. M.) and Rickert (E.)--Contemporary British literature: bibliographies and study outlines. 1923.

Williams (Harold)--Modern English writers, 1890-1914.

LITERARY HISTORY.

Lesson 1 (c. 500-1500).

Part I.--Old English Period (_c. 500 to 1066_).

Forces at Work.--The Anglo-Saxon invasion and gradual conquest and settlement. The coming of Christianity and its struggle with the pagan view of life. The inroads of the Danes and the growth of national feeling under Alfred. The subsequent Danish rule and the Gallicising of the court. The Norman Conquest.

Literary Features.--Early literature pagan. The late development of Christian prose and poetry. The preponderance of anonymous works. The lack of originality shown in the large number of translations and imitations. Pagan literature almost wholly descriptive and narrative; the meditative element. Christian literature chiefly religious and didactic. Note the chief surviving texts and their peculiarities; also the characteristics of Anglo-Saxon prosody.

1. PAGAN POETRY.--(a) Descriptive and Narrative:--“Beowulf.” “Widsith.” “Waldhere.” “Finnsburgh.” “Brunanburgh.” “Maldon.” (b) Meditative:--“The Wanderer.” “The Seafarer.” “Deor’s Lament.” “The Wife’s Complaint.” “The Husband’s Message.”

2. CHRISTIAN POETRY. (a) Caedmon and his school. (b) Cynewulf and his followers. (c) Minor works:--“The Riming Poem,” Proverbs, etc.

3. ANGLO-SAXON PROSE.--Alfred. Aelfric. Wulfstan. The Homilists. “The Chronicle.” (Note the character of the works translated, and the influence of Latin).

4. LATIN PROSE.--Bede. Aldhelm. Alcuin.

Part Ii.--Middle English Period (_1066-1350_).

Forces at Work.--Effects of the Norman Conquest. Growth of feudalism. The struggle between the king and barons, and between ecclesiastical and civil power. The spread of monastic orders; the development of Parliament and constitution. The wars with Scotland, France and Wales; the growth of towns and industries. The foundation of universities and the growth of scholarship. The beginnings of chivalry and the spirit of romance.

Literary Features.--The disappearance of Anglo-Saxon as a literary language. The predominance of Latin and French works until the 13th century. The gradual merging of Norman and Anglo-Saxon into English; the clash of dialects and the final triumph of the West Midland speech; the subsequent struggle between Latin, French, and native models in poetry and prose. Note the decrease in anonymous works (but lack of detail regarding most authors), and the absence of any great literary figure. Poetry predominates and attains new forms in the metrical romance and the lyric. The revival of alliteration at the end of the period. The growth of rhymed models.

1. ANGLO-LATIN LITERATURE.--Note influence of Paris and Oxford. (a) Chroniclers: William of Malmesbury. Henry of Huntingdon. Geoffrey of Monmouth. William of Newburgh. Jocelin of Brakelond. Giraldus Cambrensis. Walter Map. Matthew Paris, (b) Scholars and Philosophers: Anselm. John of Salisbury. Alex. Neckham. Robert Grosseteste. Roger Bacon. Richard de Bury. Duns Scotus. William of Occam.

2. ANGLO-FRENCH LITERATURE.--Gaimer and Wace, and their influence on the rhyming chroniclers. Religious and didactic works and their English counterparts. The Norman romantic spirit and its influence on popular literature.

3. MIDDLE ENGLISH PROSE.--“The Ancren Riwle.” “Ayenbit of Inwit.”

4. POETRY OF THE TRANSITION.--(a) The Rhyming Chronicles: Layamon. Robert of Gloucester. Mannynge of Brunne. Laurence Minot. (b) Religious and Didactic: (i) The “Ormulum.” “Owl and the Nightingale.” “Proverbs of Alfred.” “Poema Morale.” (ii) “Proverbs of Hendyng.” “Cursor Mundi.” “Pricke of Conscience.” “Handlynge Synne.” (c) Metrical Romances: The Carlovingian, Arthurian, Roman, and other romance “cycles.” (d) Tales in Verse: Fabliaux, moral tales, beast stories, and satirical pieces. Story collections like the “Gesta Romanorum” and the “Seven Sages of Rome.” (e) Lyric and Miscellaneous: Songs of love and religion. Political Songs. (f) The Alliterative Revival: “Pearl,” “Cleanness,” “Patience,” “Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight.”

5. ORIGINS OF THE DRAMA.--Mummery, miracle plays, and mysteries.

6. OUTLINES OF WELSH AND IRISH LITERATURE.

Part Iii.--the Early Renaissance (_1350-1500_).

Forces at Work.--The growing social unrest following the Plague. The growth of town life and industries. The strengthening of Parliament under the Lancastrians. The decay of the religious orders and growth of Lollardy. The introduction of printing leading to a wider interest in literature.

Literary Features.--The renewal of continental influences under Chaucer. The standardisation of English. The growth of the critical spirit leading in religion to polemic and in poetry to a nearer approach to realism. The development of miracle and morality plays in connection with industries and town life. The decline of anonymity and the appearance of the first great literary figures. The growing importance of prose, and the formation of a definite style. The development of a new prosody, and the growth of allegory, ballad literature, and political songs. The rapid development in Scotch poetry.

1. POETRY.--(a) The Leaders: Chaucer. Langland. Gower. (b) English Chaucerians: Lydgate, Occleve, Hawes, and the minors. (c) Early Scots Poetry: Barbour. Blind Harry. Andrew of Wyntoun. The Chroniclers. (d) Scottish Chaucerians: James I. Henryson. Dunbar. Douglas. Kennedy. (e) Folk Poetry: Songs, ballads, political and religious verse.

2. THE DRAMA.--Development of miracle plays and moralities. The chief cycles: York, Wakefield, Chester, Coventry Newcastle, Norwich. Chief Moralities: “Castle of Perseverance,” “Mary Magdalen,” “Everyman.”

3. PROSE.--Wyclif and Trevisa, Mandeville, Pecock, Fortescue, and Capgrave. Malory, Caxton, and Berners. The “Paston Letters.”

TEST PAPER--(c. 500 to 1500).

1. The Christian poetry of the Anglo-Saxon period is generally divided into two schools. Name these, and arrange under each the chief works and writers where known.

2. What are the chief characteristics of Old English prose?

3. What effect had the Norman Conquest on English literature?

4. Name the chief poems which mark the transition stage between Old English and Modern English.

5. In what form did the romantic spirit find its outlet in Middle English literature?

6. Contrast the literary spirit of Chaucer’s age with that of the previous age.

7. Who were the chief followers of Chaucer in England and Scotland? Briefly contrast any two of them.

8. What was Caxton’s special service to English literature?

9. Write brief notes on any three of the following: “Widsith,” “Pricke of Conscience,” “Sir Gawayne,” “Gesta Romanorum,” the “Prologue to the Canterbury Tales,” “Ancren Riwle,” “Mandeville’s Travels,”.

10. Name the source and approximate date of any five of the following:

“Sumer is icumen in.”

“He was a very parfit gentil knight.”

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