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This series provides a high-quality selection of early printings of literary works, textual editions, anthologies and literary criticism which are of lasting scholarly interest. Ranging from Old English to Shakespeare to early twentieth-century work from around the world, these books offer a valuable resource for scholars in reception history, textual editing and literary studies.

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451 results in Cambridge Library Collection - Literary Studies

Page 2 of 23

George Eliot’s Life, as Related in her Letters and Journals
  • Volume 2, Famous
  • George Eliot
  • Edited by John Walter Cross
  • Published online:
    05 October 2015
    Print publication:
    28 October 2010
    First published in:
    1885
  • Best known for his brief marriage to George Eliot, John Walter Cross (1840–1924) compiled this three-volume 'autobiography' of 1885 from his late wife's journals and letters. Eliot was never married to her long-term partner G. H. Lewes, and she courted further scandal when she married Cross, twenty years her junior, in the spring of 1880. While these volumes offer a valuable insight into Eliot's private reflections, what is perhaps most telling is the material left out or rewritten in Cross' efforts to lend his wife's unconventional life some respectability, which he does at the expense of what one reviewer described as Eliot's 'salt and spice'. George Eliot's Life will be of particular interest to scholars of nineteenth-century biography and literature. Volume 2 covers the years 1858–1866, including Eliot's initial success in fiction and her travels in Italy, Holland, and along the Rhine.

The Letters of Mrs Elizabeth Montagu
  • With Some of the Letters of her Correspondents
  • Volume 2, Containing her Letters from an Early Age to the Age of Twenty-Three
  • Elizabeth Montagu
  • Edited by Matthew Montagu
  • Published online:
    05 September 2015
    Print publication:
    26 March 2015
    First published in:
    1809
  • This four-volume edition of the letters of Mrs Elizabeth Montagu (1718–1800), the 'Queen of the Bluestockings', was edited by her nephew and adopted son Matthew (1762–1831) and published in 1809–13. The daughter of wealthy parents, and well educated in history and languages, at the age of twenty-one she married Edward Montagu, a grandson of the earl of Sandwich whose income derived from northern estates and coal mines, and began to establish a London salon attended by the intellectual cream of British society, including Johnson, Burke, Garrick, Hannah More and Hester Chapone. The letters (and some correspondence from her circle) are arranged chronologically. Volume 2 covers the period from 1741 to 1744, including her marriage to the fifty-year-old Edward Montagu in August 1742, and the sudden death of her beloved only son in 1744.

Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century
  • Consisting of Authentic Memoirs and Original Letters of Eminent Persons, and Intended as a Sequel to the Literary Anecdotes
  • Volume 8
  • John Nichols
  • Published online:
    05 September 2015
    Print publication:
    04 December 2014
    First published in:
    1858
  • The subtitle of this eight-volume set is Consisting of Authentic Memoirs and Original Letters of Eminent Persons, and Intended as a Sequel to the 'Literary Anecdotes', which had been published in nine volumes by the author, editor and publisher John Nichols (1745–1826) between 1812 and 1815, and are also reissued in this series. Like its predecessor set, these 'illustrations' are a useful source of biographical material on authors and publishers at a time when many of the literary genres we take for granted, such as the novel, the autobiography and the analytical history, were first being developed. The volumes were published between 1817 and 1858, the project being continued after Nichols' death by his son and grandson. Among the 'eminent persons' included in this final volume is Nichols himself; it also contains material showing the state of the London book trade in the second half of the eighteenth century.

The Letters of Mrs Elizabeth Montagu
  • With Some of the Letters of her Correspondents
  • Volume 1, Containing her Letters from an Early Age to the Age of Twenty-Three
  • Elizabeth Montagu
  • Edited by Matthew Montagu
  • Published online:
    05 September 2015
    Print publication:
    26 March 2015
    First published in:
    1809
  • This four-volume edition of the letters of Mrs Elizabeth Montagu (1718–1800), the 'Queen of the Bluestockings', was edited by her nephew and adopted son Matthew (1762–1831) and published in 1809–13. The daughter of wealthy parents, and well educated in history and languages, at the age of twenty-one she married Edward Montagu, a grandson of the earl of Sandwich whose income derived from northern estates and coal mines, and began to establish a London salon attended by the intellectual cream of British society, including Johnson, Burke, Garrick, Hannah More and Hester Chapone. The letters (and some correspondence from her circle) are arranged chronologically. Volume 1 begins with a short biography, and covers the period from her earliest preserved letter, written in 1732, up to 1741. Her teenage letters to her sister Sarah and her older friend, the duchess of Portland, sparkle with wit and good humour.

The Letters of Mrs Elizabeth Montagu
  • With Some of the Letters of her Correspondents
  • Volume 3, Containing her Letters from the Age of Twenty-Three to Forty
  • Elizabeth Montagu
  • Edited by Matthew Montagu
  • Published online:
    05 September 2015
    Print publication:
    26 March 2015
    First published in:
    1813
  • This four-volume edition of the letters of Mrs Elizabeth Montagu (1718–1800), the 'Queen of the Bluestockings', was edited by her nephew and adopted son Matthew (1762–1831) and published in 1809–13. The daughter of wealthy parents, and well educated in history and languages, at the age of twenty-one she married Edward Montagu, a grandson of the earl of Sandwich whose income derived from northern estates and coal mines, and began to establish a London salon attended by the intellectual cream of British society, including Johnson, Burke, Garrick, Hannah More and Hester Chapone. The letters (and some correspondence from her circle) are arranged chronologically. Volume 3 covers the period from 1744 to 1755, and her correspondents include her sister and two of her cousins, whom she keeps supplied with gossip as well as her views on the political and intellectual life of London.

The Growth of Literature
  • Volume 3
  • H. Munro Chadwick, Nora K. Chadwick
  • Published online:
    05 July 2015
    Print publication:
    31 October 2010
    First published in:
    1940
  • First published between 1932 and 1940, this is a three-volume study of the historical development of literature. It explores the oral and written literatures of regions from Iceland and the British Isles, to Russia, the Balkans, Africa, India and the Pacific, placing them in their historical context and examining similarities between them. The authors discuss both ancient and recent texts, illustrating the connections within each group and considering the question of whether all literary growth is influenced by common factors. Praised on publication as '… a work that is not, probably could not be, superseded' (International Journal of Comparative Sociology), the book remains a benchmark for those studying comparative literature or the history of literary criticism. Volume 3, which includes a summary of the literary categories used in the book, surveys the oral literature of the Tatar and Polynesian peoples, along with that of a selection of African ethnic groups.

The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.
  • Together with his Life, and Notes on his Lives of the Poets
  • Volume 8
  • Samuel Johnson
  • Edited by John Hawkins
  • Published online:
    05 July 2015
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1787
  • Dr Samuel Johnson (1709–84) is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of English literature, as a poet, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. This collected edition of his works - commissioned by the publisher within hours of Johnson's death, such was his celebrity - was published in 1787 in eleven volumes, edited by his literary executor, the musicologist Sir John Hawkins. Volume 8 contains The Idler, the 103 essays originally published by Johnson in the Universal Chronicle between 1758 and 1760, and published in one volume in 1761. These were more relaxed and rambling in style than those published in The Rambler, and were very popular. A common thread is the follies of the literary world - Johnson defines criticism as 'a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense'. Others touch on marriage, scholarship, and travelling.

My Recollections of Lord Byron
  • And Those of Eye-Witnesses of his Life
  • Volume 1
  • Teresa Guiccioli
  • Translated by Hubert E. H. Jerningham
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    28 August 2014
    First published in:
    1869
  • This two-volume work was originally published in French, and anonymously, in 1868. In 1869, Richard Bentley published an English translation by Hubert E. H. Jerningham, in which he stated that the work 'is the production of the celebrated Countess Guiccioli'. Teresa Guiccioli (1800–73) was nineteen, and married to a much older man, when she first met Byron in Venice. Their subsequent love affair lasted until Byron left for Greece, together with her brother Pietro Gamba, whose account of Byron's last days is also reissued in this series. Anxious to restore Byron's reputation, which she believed to be tainted by a conflation in the public mind between the poet and his more notorious characters, she attempts to refute some of the more scandalous assertions about his life. Volume 1 covers such topics as Byron's childhood, his 'benevolence and kindness', and the 'qualities of his heart and soul'.

The Family Pen
  • Memorials, Biographical and Literary, of the Taylor Family of Ongar
  • Volume 1
  • Isaac Taylor
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1867
  • Isaac Taylor (1787–1865) was known as Isaac Taylor of Stanford Rivers, to distinguish him from his father, Isaac Taylor of Ongar, engraver and dissenting minister. He, his brother Jefferys, and their sisters Ann and Jane, were all writers, and their mother was the well-known 'Mrs Taylor of Ongar', some of whose books are also reissued in this series. The younger Isaac felt drawn to the Church of England, and made a name for himself with studies of the Church Fathers and the classics (he is said to have coined the word 'patristic'). This two-volume collection of writings by three generations of the Taylor family was compiled and published in 1867 by the Isaac Taylor of the next generation. Volume 1 contains Taylor of Stanford Rivers's 'Family Pen', an appreciation of him by his son, and his memoir of his sister Jane, a well-known writer for children.

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
  • Volume 2, Part 1
  • Edited by Francis James Child
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1882
  • Harvard's first professor of English, the American scholar Francis James Child (1825–96) had previously prepared a collection of English and Scottish ballads, published in 1857–9, before he embarked on producing this definitive critical edition. Organised into five volumes and published in ten parts between 1882 and 1898, the work includes the text and variants of 305 ballads, with Child's detailed commentary and comparison with ballads and stories from other languages. Although he did not live to fully clarify his methods of selection and classification, modern scholars still refer to the 'Child Ballads' as an essential resource in the study of folk songs and stories in the English language. The work also contains a helpful glossary of archaic terms and a long list of sources. Volume 2, Part 1 (1885) contains ballads 54-82, including 'Fair Annie' and 'The Bonny Birdy'.

Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century
  • Consisting of Authentic Memoirs and Original Letters of Eminent Persons, and Intended as a Sequel to the Literary Anecdotes
  • Volume 7
  • John Nichols
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    04 December 2014
    First published in:
    1848
  • The subtitle of this eight-volume set is Consisting of Authentic Memoirs and Original Letters of Eminent Persons, and Intended as a Sequel to the 'Literary Anecdotes', which had been published in nine volumes by the author, editor and publisher John Nichols (1745–1826) between 1812 and 1815, and are also reissued in this series. Like its predecessor set, these 'illustrations' are a useful source of biographical material on authors and publishers at a time when many of the literary genres we take for granted, such as the novel, the autobiography and the analytical history, were first being developed. The volumes were published between 1817 and 1858, the project being continued after Nichols' death by his son and grandson. Among the 'eminent persons' included in Volume 7 are the scholar and literary editor George Steevens, Bishop Thomas Percy, Dr Johnson and James Boswell.

Robin Hood
  • A Collection of All the Ancient Poems, Songs, and Ballads, Now Extant, Relative to that Celebrated English Outlaw
  • Volume 1
  • Edited by Joseph Ritson
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    29 January 2015
    First published in:
    1795
  • A controversial literary critic and commentator, Joseph Ritson (1752–1803) made his reputation identifying and exposing literary forgeries. His enduring legacy, however, stems from his interest in the legend of Robin Hood. The combination of his passion for collecting literary antiquities, particularly medieval ballad poetry, and his political convictions in support of republican government, drew him to the tale of the English outlaw. This two-volume work, first published in 1795, is an important collection of texts relating to the legend. Ritson's aim was to present all the known poems and songs, and his research was so thorough that very little further material has been found since. This work helped transform the perception of the Robin Hood tradition, encouraging its serious study. As well as a selection of texts, Volume 1 contains a lengthy scholarly discussion of the tradition.

Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
  • Consisting of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and Other Pieces of our Earlier Poets
  • Volume 2
  • Edited by Thomas Percy
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    29 January 2015
    First published in:
    1765
  • While visiting a friend, the writer and cleric Thomas Percy (1729–1811) noticed a neglected folio whose pages were being used by the maids to light the fire. Upon inspection, this manuscript was found to be a seventeenth-century collection of historical ballads. Following this discovery, Percy collected further ballads and songs from a number of sources, which he published in this three-volume work in 1765, although ultimately only a quarter of the texts he presented came from that original manuscript. Although this work proved to be incredibly popular, Percy's idiosyncratic editorial practices also received much criticism. The collection centres on historical ballads and romances, demonstrating the development of language, customs and traditions, to which Percy added contemporary ballads for his readers' enjoyment. Volume 2 includes a rondel which Percy ascribes to Chaucer, as well as verses purported to be by Queen Elizabeth I and King Charles I.

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
  • Volume 1, Part 1
  • Edited by Francis James Child
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1882
  • Harvard's first professor of English, the American scholar Francis James Child (1825–96) had previously prepared a collection of English and Scottish ballads, published in 1857–9, before he embarked on producing this definitive critical edition. Organised into five volumes and published in ten parts between 1882 and 1898, the work includes the text and variants of 305 ballads, with Child's detailed commentary and comparison with ballads and stories from other languages. Although he did not live to fully clarify his methods of selection and classification, modern scholars still refer to the 'Child Ballads' as an essential resource in the study of folk songs and stories in the English language. The work also contains a helpful glossary of archaic terms and a long list of sources. Volume 1, Part 1 originally appeared in 1882. This reissue from 1898 contains a biographical sketch of Child, along with ballads 1-28.

The Family Pen
  • Memorials, Biographical and Literary, of the Taylor Family of Ongar
  • Volume 2
  • Isaac Taylor
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1867
  • Isaac Taylor (1787–1865) was known as Isaac Taylor of Stanford Rivers, to distinguish him from his father, Isaac Taylor of Ongar, engraver and dissenting minister. He, his brother Jefferys, and their sisters Ann and Jane, were all writers, and their mother was the well-known 'Mrs Taylor of Ongar', some of whose books are also reissued in this series. The younger Isaac felt drawn to the Church of England, and made a name for himself with studies of the Church Fathers and the classics (he is said to have coined the word 'patristic'). This two-volume collection of writings by three generations of the Taylor family was compiled and published in 1867 by the Isaac Taylor of the next generation. Volume 2 contains essays and verses by the four siblings, their father Isaac, and a cousin, Jemima, of which the most notable is the long short story 'Display' by Jane Taylor.

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
  • Volume 5, Part 1
  • Edited by Francis James Child
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1882
  • Harvard's first professor of English, the American scholar Francis James Child (1825–96) had previously prepared a collection of English and Scottish ballads, published in 1857–9, before he embarked on producing this definitive critical edition. Organised into five volumes and published in ten parts between 1882 and 1898, the work includes the text and variants of 305 ballads, with Child's detailed commentary and comparison with ballads and stories from other languages. Although he did not live to fully clarify his methods of selection and classification, modern scholars still refer to the 'Child Ballads' as an essential resource in the study of folk songs and stories in the English language. The work also contains a helpful glossary of archaic terms and a long list of sources. Volume 5, Part 1 (1892) contains ballads 266-305, including 'Get Up and Bar the Door' and 'The Outlaw Murray'.

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
  • Volume 5, Part 2
  • Edited by Francis James Child
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1882
  • Harvard's first professor of English, the American scholar Francis James Child (1825–96) had previously prepared a collection of English and Scottish ballads, published in 1857–9, before he embarked on producing this definitive critical edition. Organised into five volumes and published in ten parts between 1882 and 1898, the work includes the text and variants of 305 ballads, with Child's detailed commentary and comparison with ballads and stories from other languages. Although he did not live to fully clarify his methods of selection and classification, modern scholars still refer to the 'Child Ballads' as an essential resource in the study of folk songs and stories in the English language. Volume 5, Part 2 (1898) contains additions and corrections, a helpful glossary of archaic terms, a long list of sources, musical scores for 46 of the ballads, indexes, and a bibliography.

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
  • Volume 4, Part 2
  • Edited by Francis James Child
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1882
  • Harvard's first professor of English, the American scholar Francis James Child (1825–96) had previously prepared a collection of English and Scottish ballads, published in 1857–9, before he embarked on producing this definitive critical edition. Organised into five volumes and published in ten parts between 1882 and 1898, the work includes the text and variants of 305 ballads, with Child's detailed commentary and comparison with ballads and stories from other languages. Although he did not live to fully clarify his methods of selection and classification, modern scholars still refer to the 'Child Ballads' as an essential resource in the study of folk songs and stories in the English language. The work also contains a helpful glossary of archaic terms and a long list of sources. Volume 4, Part 2 (1892) contains ballads 226-265, including 'Lang Johnny More' and 'The Knight's Ghost'.

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
  • Volume 1, Part 2
  • Edited by Francis James Child
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    20 November 2014
    First published in:
    1882
  • Harvard's first professor of English, the American scholar Francis James Child (1825–96) had previously prepared a collection of English and Scottish ballads, published in 1857–9, before he embarked on producing this definitive critical edition. Organised into five volumes and published in ten parts between 1882 and 1898, the work includes the text and variants of 305 ballads, with Child's detailed commentary and comparison with ballads and stories from other languages. Although he did not live to fully clarify his methods of selection and classification, modern scholars still refer to the 'Child Ballads' as an essential resource in the study of folk songs and stories in the English language. The work also contains a helpful glossary of archaic terms and a long list of sources. Volume 1, Part 2 (1884) contains ballads 29-53, including 'King Arthur and King Cornwall' and 'Captain Wedderburn's Courtship'.

The Tatler
  • Volume 3
  • Richard Steele
  • Published online:
    05 June 2015
    Print publication:
    29 January 2015
    First published in:
    1797
  • The appearance of the first issue of The Tatler in 1709 is usually regarded as the beginning of periodical publication in England. Its founder, Richard Steele (1672–1729), intended 'a paper, which should observe upon the manners of the pleasurable, as well as the busy part of mankind … by way of a letter of intelligence, consisting of such parts as might gratify the curiosity of persons of all conditions, and of each sex'. The 'datelines' of the reports, on news, literature, and plain gossip, were from the most famous coffee houses of early Georgian London, and the contributors included Jonathan Swift and Joseph Addison. The magazine was published for only two years, from April 1709 to January 1711: shortly afterwards, Steele and Addison co-founded The Spectator. This four-volume edition was issued in 1797 by a consortium of publishers, including John Nichols. Volume 3 contains numbers 115 to 189.

Page 2 of 23