and activity have become limited to the works of a single nation, school or period, or even to a particular theme. The endeavour of the editor has accordingly been not so much to incorporate the results of recent research in the present edition, a plan which would have swelled it beyond measure, as to shew the direction of such researches, and indicate where they may be followed further in connection with the subjects handled by Dunlop, and, as it were, sailing in his wake down the main current of imaginative literature, point out, as far as may be, the course and the recent surveys, by which the numerous affluents to the stream of fiction may be traced towards their sources. Dunlop's text has been retained almost intact, with the exception of the article on the Graal romance, which the labours of M. Paulin Paris, M. Hucher, Professor Schulze and many other savants, rendered it necessary to re-write. The valuable notes to F. Liebrecht's German translation of the work have been incorporated with the notes to the present edition, and are usually acknowledged by the syllable: LIEB. For a few notes the editor is indebted to Mr. Henry Jenner. These are subscribed H. J. Dunlop scarcely even mentions the literature of several northern countries. This omission, it is hoped, is here to some extent remedied by appendices on prose fiction in Germany, Scandinavia and Russia, which additions, however, it was necessary to restrict to the most exiguous limits. For the rest, Dunlop's judgments and criticism are for the most part sound, and therefore of permanent value, his style is excellent, and the original text as full of interest as ever, while, it is hoped, that the copious notes and index now added, will prove useful to the student. The author of the " History of Fiction" was born on the 30th December, 1785, and was the son of John Dunlop, merchant of Glasgow, and Lord Provost of that city in 1796, Collector of Customs at Borrow-Stounness, and afterwards at Port Glasgow, where he died in 1820, author of some popular songs, among which may be named "Oh dinna ask me gin I lo'e you," and "Here's to the year that's awa." His wife, the mother of John Colin Dunlop, was a daughter of Sir Thomas Miller, of Glenlee, who was appointed Lord Justice Clerk in 1766, and Lord President of the Court in 1788; and a sister of Sir William Miller, of Glenlee, Bart., who was appointed one of the Judges of the Court of Session in 1795. Of the career of her son, the writer of the "History of Fiction," comparatively little would seem to be on record. He was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates on the 7th March, 1807, the subject of his thesis being "De jure jurando, sive voluntario, sive necessario, sive judiciali.” In 1816 he was appointed Sheriff of Renfrewshire, an office he continued to hold until his death, which occurred at 12, India Street, Edinburgh, on the 26th of January, 1842. He was said to have been a man of simple manners and unostentatious life, a lucid, fluent, and graceful speaker, and a sound lawyer. For most of the above biographical particulars, I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. Clerk, of the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. Besides the "History of Fiction" its author also wrote: "The History of Roman Literature, from its earliest period to the Augustan age." London, 1823-1828. 3 vols. 8vo. Memoirs of Spain during the reigns of Philip IV. and Charles II.," 1611-1700. London, 1834. 2 vols. 8vo. The "History of Fiction" was first published in 1814, the full title running "The History of Fiction; being a critical account of the most celebrated prose works of Fiction, from the earliest Greek Romances to the Novels of the Present Day." Edinburgh, 1814. 3 vols. 8vo. A second edition was issued in 1816, and I have seen references to a Philadelphia reprint in two volumes, 1842, from the second edition, and to a third edition in one volume, 1845. H. W. SOME WORKS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT OF THE PRESENT VOLUMES, OR QUOTED THEREIN, WITH ABBREVIATED REFERENCES. Giraldi, G. B. Discorsi intorno al comporre de i Romanzi, etc. Vinegia, 1554, 4to. Chapelain, Jean. De la lecture des vieux romans publié pour la première fois, avec des notes, par A. Feillet. Paris, 1870, 8vo. De l'Origine des Fables, in Euvres de Monsieur de Fontenelle. Paris, 1758, tom. iii. pp. 270-296. Huet, P. D., Bishop of Avranches. Lettre de M. Huet à M. de Segrais. De l'origine des romans. Numerous editions and translations. English in vol. i. of A Select Collection of Novels. Ed. by C. A. Croxall. 6 vols. 1722, etc. Moore, J., M.D. A view of the commencement and progress of Romance. Prefixed to the Miscellaneous Works of Tobias Smollet. 8 vols. London, 1797, 8vo. Ogilvie, J., D.D. Philosophical and critical observations on the nature, character, and various Species of Composition. 2 vols. London, 1774, 8vo. Hurd, R., Bp. of Worcester. 1762, 8vo. Letters on Chivalry and Romance. Mason, W. Reflections on originality in authors. . . remarks on a Letter by Bp. Hurd. 1762, 12mo. Stael, Mme. de. An Essay on Fictions (prefixed to Zulma, a tale). London, 1813. Reeve, Clara. Progress of Romance through times, countries, and manners, with remarks on the good and bad effects of it on them respectively. 2 vols. Colchester, 1785, 8vo. Murray, H. The Morality of Fiction; or, an Inquiry into the Tendency of Fictitious Narrative, with Observations, etc. 1805, 12mo. Wessenberg, J. H. von. Ueber den sittlichen Einfluss der Romane. Constanz, 1826. Ueber den Werth der Empfindsamkeit, besonders in Rücksicht auf die Romane; Halle, 1780. Senior, N. W. Essays on Fiction. London, 1864, 4to. Boileau. Les Héros de Roman, dialogue à la manière de Lucien, pp. 316-343 of Euvres. 1 vol. ed. Didot, 1862. Wheeler, W. A. An explanatory and pronouncing dictionary of the noted names of Fiction. Boston, U.S., 1879, 8vo. Brewer. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 12th edition. Liebrecht, F. J. Dunlop's Geschichte der Prosadichtungen oder chen übertragen ausdem Englis ver vermehrt . . . mit Anmerkungen sehen. Berlin, 1851, 8vo. ... Wolff, O. L. B. Allgemeine Geschichte des Romans, von dessen Ursprung bis zur neuesten Zeit. Jena, 1841. Ebert, A. Allgemeine Geschichte der Literatur des Mittelalters im Abendlande. Leip., 1874, etc., 8vo. Goedeke, Carl. Das Mittelalter, Darstellung des Deutschen Literatur des Mittelalter. Dresden, 1852-71, 8vo. Sismondi. Historical view of the Literature of the South of Europe, translated from the French with notes by T. Roscoe. London, 1823. Graesse, J. G. D. Lehrbuch einer allgemeiner Literargeschichte. Dresden, 1837-59. Ward, H. L. D. Catalogue of Romances in the Dept. of MSS. in the British Museum. Vol. I. 1883. Gordon de Percel [i.e., N. Lenglet Du Fresnoy]. De l'usage des Romans . . Avec une bibliothèque des Romans Accompagnée de remarques critiques sur leur choix & leurs éditions. 2 tom. Chez la veuve de Poilras, à la verité sans fard. Amsterdam, 1734. Bibliothèque des romans, etc. [ed. by the Marquis de Paulmy]. 1775, etc. 12mo. Mélanges tirés d'une grande Bih'iothèque. Ed. by the Marquis d'Argenson and others. Table alphabétique. 68 tom. Paris, 1785-88, 8vo. Voyages imaginaires, songes, visions et romans cabalistiques, etc. 36 vols. Paris, 1787-89. Wiener, Jahrb. Jahrbücher der Literatur. Wien, 1818-49. Romania. Paris, 8vo. Jährbuch für Romanische und Englische Literatur. Berlin, 1859, etc. 8vo. Orient und Occident. Göttingen, 1860, etc. Müller, K. O. A History of the Literature of Ancient Greece. Continued by J. W. Donaldson. 3 vols. London, 1858. Schoell. Histoire de la littérature grecque. 2 ed. Paris, 1823-5, 8vo. 8 vols. Ans dem Franz. mit Geschichte der griechischen Literatur. Nicolai, R. Griechische Literaturgeschichte. 3 Bd. Magdeburg, 187378, 8vo. Rohde, E. Der griechische Roman und seine Vorläufer. Leipzig, 1876, 8vo. Gidel, A. C. Etudes sur la littérature grecque moderne. Imitations en grec de nos romans de chevalerie depuis XIIe Siècle. Paris, 1866. Nouvelles études sur la littérature grecque moderne. 1876. |