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“The Library of the World’s Best Literature, Ancient and Modern,” stands as a monumental literary endeavor, transcending dimensions in its scope and significance. Originally conceived with the modest aim of providing “American households a wealth of enriching reading material,” its compilers embarked on a grand voyage through the annals of literature, spanning epochs and genres, to curate a compendium of paramount human expression, presented across an ambitious assortment of 45 volumes, with an additional 46th serving as an index and guide.
Within this treasury lie not only an array of carefully chosen and skillfully translated poems, letters, short stories, and excerpts from literary works, but also a prelude to each chapter—a succinct essay introducing the featured author or subject. In numerous instances, chapters are dedicated not to solitary writers, but to collectives of literary creations, meticulously organized by attributes such as nationality, theme, or era. As evidence, one discovers chapters illuminating the Accadian-Babylonian literary heritage, delving into the enigma of the Holy Grail, or harmonizing the melodies of Chansons.
The outcome crystallizes as a collection that captivates the mind, tantalizing with its kaleidoscope of themes and structures, while simultaneously serving as a gateway to the literary legacies of illustrious luminaries—names frequently acknowledged yet regrettably unread by many; luminaries encompassing the likes of Abelard, Dante, and Lord Byron. Charles Dudley Warner, the editor, contends that this compendium transcends the mere realm of reference, metamorphosing into a tapestry meant to be traversed by the eager reader.
Contained within this seventh volume are chapters spanning the breadth from “Henry Cuyler Bunner” to “Charles Stuart Calverley.” A succinct encapsulation by Leni concludes the compilation’s contents.
