PREFACE: In this volume, concerned mainly with writers whose names are household words, it has been thought sufficient to give only such particulars as were required to bring out the general effect. Neither biography nor bibliography has been made prominent. The wish was to paint a general picture, preferring broad outlines to finished studies. Thus the student may be led to form conceptions for himself, rather than take them ready-made from the lips of any historian..... Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900"s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.