Alan Dugald McKillop

The Early Masters of English Fiction is a comprehensive study of the origins and development of English fiction, written by Alan Dugald McKillop. The book is divided into four parts, each exploring a different period in the history of English fiction. The first part covers the period from the late 16th century to the early 18th century, and examines the works of writers such as John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe, and Samuel Richardson. The second part looks at the period between the mid-18th century and the early 19th century, and focuses on the works of writers such as Henry Fielding, Laurence Sterne, and Jane Austen. The third part covers the period from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, and looks at the works of writers such as Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy. The final part of the book explores the modern period of English fiction, and examines the works of writers such as Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and D. H. Lawrence. Throughout the book, McKillop provides detailed analysis of the literary techniques and themes employed by each writer, and explores the ways in which their works reflect the social and cultural contexts of their times. The Early Masters of English Fiction is an essential resource for anyone interested in the history and development of English literature. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Background of Thomson's Seasons was first published in 1942. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. There have been many valuable scattered studies of James Thomson's famous Seasons,but this is the first comprehensive book on the subject to be published in this country. This most popular long poem published in England in the eighteenth century well deserves reexamination. It is interesting not only to students of literature but also to those concerned with the history of ideas and the relationship of the fields of human knowledge. Thomson's Seasons reflects the trends of his time in literature, philosophy, science, history, and religion. Professor McKillop presents an illuminating and systematic analysis of the general philosophic and literary situation in which Thomson worked. Then he discusses Thomson's use of the natural sciences and of the literature of history, geography, and travel. He shows that the poet was also concerned with the patterns of human society, both primitive and civilized. The author reveals clearly how Thomson was indebted to the classical tradition; to the literary inspiration of Milton; to the scientific discussions and theories of Newton, Halley, Burnet, and the writers of popular physico-theological manuals; to the philosophical discussions of Shaftesbury and Locke; to the contemporary periodical essay; to the religious works of Blackmore and Hill; to the descriptions of remote regions and peoples in such writers as Scheffer, Varenius, and Maupertuis. All Thomson's borrowings and characteristic ideas fall into the framework of his poem. As this book was leaving the bindery, discovery was made in Glasgow of a catalogue of Thomson's library. The document substantiates many of Professor McKillop's deductions.