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PREFACE.
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A Preface to a book on the History of English Literature is apt to be an apology, for a writer must be conscious of his inability to deal with a subject so immense and so multiplex in its aspects. This volume does not pretend to be an encyclop?dia of our literature; or to include all the names of authors and of their works. Selection has been necessary, and in the fields of philosophy and theology but a few names appear. The writer, indeed, would willingly have omitted not a few of the minor1 authors in pure literature, and devoted2 his space only to the masters. But each of these springs from an underwood, as it were, of the thought and effort of men less conspicuous3, whom it were ungrateful, and is practically impossible, to pass by in silence. Nevertheless the attempt has been made to deal most fully4 with the greatest names.

The author's object has been to arouse a living interest, if it may be, in the books of the past, and to induce the reader to turn to them for himself. Scantiness5 of space forbids the presentation of extracts; for poetry there is perhaps no better selection than that of the Oxford6 Book of Verse by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.[1] For prose, the[Pg vi] Anthologies of Mrs. Barnett and Mrs. Dale may be recommended.[2]

It is unhappily the fact that the works of a majority of the earlier authors are scarcely accessible except in the publications of learned societies or in very limited editions; but from Chaucer onwards the Globe Editions are open to all; and the great Cambridge "History of English Literature" is invaluable7 as a guide to the Bibliography8. It is better to study even a little of the greatest authors than to read many books about them. If the writer should perchance succeed in bringing any readers to the works of the immortals9 his purpose will be fulfilled But readers, like poets and anglers, are "born to be so"; and when born under a fortunate star do not need to be allured10 or compelled to come into the Muses11' paradise.

That sins of commission as well as of omission12 will be discovered the author cannot doubt, for through much reading and writing they that look out of window are darkened, and errors come.

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1 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
2 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
3 conspicuous spszE     
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的
参考例句:
  • It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显,抽烟对健康有害。
  • Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。
4 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
5 scantiness 81734cd8037a5dfa9dcde0d1b7fbf2e8     
n.缺乏
参考例句:
6 Oxford Wmmz0a     
n.牛津(英国城市)
参考例句:
  • At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
  • This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。
7 invaluable s4qxe     
adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的
参考例句:
  • A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
  • This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。
8 bibliography NNzzM     
n.参考书目;(有关某一专题的)书目
参考例句:
  • There is a useful bibliography at the end of each chapter.在每一章后附有一份有用的参考书目。
  • The production of this bibliography is totally automated.这个目录的编制过程全是自动化的。
9 immortals 75abd022a606c3ab4cced2e31d1b2b25     
不朽的人物( immortal的名词复数 ); 永生不朽者
参考例句:
  • Nobody believes in the myth about human beings becoming immortals. 谁也不相信人能成仙的神话。
  • Shakespeare is one of the immortals. 莎士比亚是不朽的人物之一。
10 allured 20660ad1de0bc3cf3f242f7df8641b3e     
诱引,吸引( allure的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They allured her into a snare. 他们诱她落入圈套。
  • Many settlers were allured by promises of easy wealth. 很多安家落户的人都是受了诱惑,以为转眼就能发财而来的。
11 muses 306ea415b7f016732e8a8cee3311d579     
v.沉思,冥想( muse的第三人称单数 );沉思自语说(某事)
参考例句:
  • We have listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe. 欧洲那种御用的诗才,我们已经听够了。 来自辞典例句
  • Shiki muses that this is, at least, probably the right atmosphere. 志贵觉得这至少是正确的气氛。 来自互联网
12 omission mjcyS     
n.省略,删节;遗漏或省略的事物,冗长
参考例句:
  • The omission of the girls was unfair.把女孩排除在外是不公平的。
  • The omission of this chapter from the third edition was a gross oversight.第三版漏印这一章是个大疏忽。


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