LIBRARY OF THE WORLD'S BEST LITERATURE Ancient and Modern CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER EDITOR HAMILTON WRIGHT MABIE, LUCIA GILBERT RUNKLE, GEORGE H. WARNER ASSOCIATE EDITORS THIRTY VOLUMES VOL. XXX NEW YORK R. S. PEALE AND J. A. HILL PUBLISHERS THE ADVISORY COUNCIL CRAWFORD H. TOY, A. M., LL. D., Professor of Hebrew, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Cambridge, Mass. THOMAS R. LOUNSBURY, LL. D., L. H. D., Professor of English in the Sheffield Scientific School of WILLIAM M. SLOANE, PH. D., L. H. D., Professor of History and Political Science, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, Princeton, N. J. BRANDER MATTHEWS, A. M., LL. B., Professor of Literature, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, New York City. JAMES B. ANGELL, LL. D., President of the UNIVERSITY Of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. WILLARD FISKE, A. M., PH. D., Late Professor of the Germanic and Scandinavian Languages EDWARD S. HOLDEN, A. M., LL. D., Director of the Lick Observatory, and Astronomer, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Berkeley, Cal. ALCÉE FORTIER, LIT. D., Professor of the Romance Languages, WILLIAM P. TRENT, M. A., TULANE UNIVERSITY, New Orleans, La. Dean of the Department of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH, Sewanee, Tenn. PAUL SHOREY, PH. D., Professor of Greek and Latin Literature, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, Chicago, Ill. WILLIAM T. HARRIS, LL. D., United States Commissioner of Education, MAURICE FRANCIS EGAN, A. M., LL. D.. Professor of Literature in the CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, Washington, D. C. BUREAU OF EDUCATION, Washington, D. C. SYNOPSES OF FAMOUS BOOKS HE following Synopses of books have been made in order to carry out and extend the purpose of the LIBRARY. Many of them are of books not before referred to, and by authors not before mentioned. While the general purpose has been adhered to, of presenting a historical view of the books of the world which are fairly classed as literature, many titles have been added that it is hoped will be of service to the reader in other departments of intellectual activity. The brief synopses will perhaps give hints to the reader whether the books will interest him. In no sense is it a catalogue of all desirable books. It is rather a list, with the needed characterizations, that will be useful in a household that has not great libraries and descriptive catalogues at hand. Under some titles, also, the reader will find what he needs to know about a noted book to which he sees an allusion. Another object has been to call attention to forgotten books which may be profitably read, and the knowledge of which is an essential part of literary history. A Special Index of this volume of Synopses contains all the titles and names of authors mentioned therein. These names and titles will not be repeated in the General Index unless they occur in the body of the LIBRARY. |