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of George II. (1727-1760). It was not illumined by such brilliant men as Newton and Addison. There was less of elegance, but there was gain in seriousness. There was more earnest questioning than in the former age. Men were no longer satisfied with attacking the advocates of principles, they attacked the principles themselves. Hume published his philosophical essays, startled his readers by the audacity of his questioning, and prepared the way for study of German philosophy and scepticism. His example led the thinkers of a later generation to study Kant and to recognize German thought and literature. He also alarmed the theologians, so that they took up weapons of defence, and fought for the honor of English religious opinions, and for the sacredness of the Scripture record. A reaction from the boldly pronounced scepticism called forth earnest reformers. They demanded practical as well as theoretical deference to Christ's teachings. In sermon and treatise and song, the Wesleys and Whitefield and Watts charmed the saintly, and terrified the sinful. They created a demand for simple, fervent religious literature. The progressive seriousness shows itself in the essays that would rival the glory of the Spectator, in the philosophy that would secure firm foundation for the religious faith of the intellectual man, and, where it would be least expected, even in the poetry that is imitative of Pope.-III. The Reign of George III. (1760-1820). Here we find a poetry simpler than in either of the preceding generations. The song gave thrilling and laughing echoes. The imagination was revived, and poetic life was healthful. Philosophy turned the seriousness to practical account.

The century of literature under consideration was superficial in its thinking, and held itself in high esteem.* But it had a record to be pleased with; for it was opening new lines of literary work, and was producing earnest and original thinkers.

That century was the formative period of English prose style. It developed two distinct modes of literary expression. The first in order of time and in excellence is the style approaching the diction and idioms of elegant conversation. Addison is its best representa

It

*The poor eighteenth century was critical, negative, and unpoetic. was one of those seasons of comparative diminution of the general vital energy of our species."Masson's Essays, p. 350.

ENGLISH LITERATURE,

FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE Augustan AGE TO THE CLOSE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY,

As discussed in the six preceding chapters.

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tive. The second style seeks harmonies of sound, avoids elliptical idioms, is scholastic, and is based upon the idea that there must be more dignity in writing than in the best speaking. Johnson is its best exponent and champion. The former style is English; the latter is Latinic. They are both influencing the writing of our own time; but the simpler method commands the higher approval.

CHAPTER XXIV.

WALTER SCOTT.

"Blessings and prayers in nobler retinue

Than sceptred king or laurelled conqueror knows,
Follow this wondrous potentate."-William Wordsworth.

HE great revolution in literary taste which substituted romantic for classical sentiment and subject, and culminated in the poems and novels of Walter Scott, is traceable to the labors of Bishop Thomas Percy (1728-1811). In 1765 he published a collection of old ballads under the title of Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. Many of these ballads had been preserved only in manuscript, and others had been printed on loose sheets in the rudest manner for circulation among the lower orders of people. Many authors before him, as, for instance, Addison and Sir Philip Sidney, had expressed the admiration which cultivated taste must ever feel for the rude, but inimitable charms of the old ballad-poets; but Percy was the first who undertook a systematic and general examination of the neglected treasures. He found, in collecting these compositions, that the majority of the oldest and most interesting were distinctly traceable, both as regards their subjects and their dialect, to the North Countrée, that is, to the frontier region between England and Scotland which had been the scene of the most striking incidents of predatory warfare, such as those recorded in the noble ballads of Chevy Chase

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