As an aid to the student, there are appended to each chapter (except the last three) topics and problems for study, and book lists which summarize the output of each man, indicate available editions, and point to the critical material which may be used as a supplement, but not as a substitute, for first-hand study. This critical material has been selected with a view, also, to suggesting books which might reasonably be included in libraries of normal schools and colleges, as well as in universities. As further aids to the student, there have been included two maps, three chronological charts, and, in an appendix, a brief characterization of the American periodicals which have been most significant in stimulating American authorship by providing a market for fiction, poetry, and the essay. In the writing of the book the author's chief obligation has naturally been to the many university classes who have stimulated its preparation, not only by their attention but by their free discussion. Special acknowledgment is gratefully made to Mr. William W. Ellsworth for a careful reading of all the manuscript and to Miss Marie Gulbransen for the initial work in formulating the appendix on the American magazines. Acknowledgment is due to the publishers of _The Nation_ and _The New Republic_ for portions of the chapters on Crèvecoeur, the Poetry of the Revolution, Emerson, Lowell, Whitman, Sill, and Miller, which originally appeared in these weeklies. PERCY H. BOYNTON CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 1 II. THE EARLIEST VERSE 17 III. THE TRANSITION TO THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 27 IV. JONATHAN EDWARDS AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 41 V. CRÈVECOEUR, THE "AMERICAN FARMER" 59 VI. THE POETRY OF THE REVOLUTION AND PHILIP FRENEAU 69 VII. THE EARLY DRAMA 89 VIII. CHARLES BROCKDEN BROWN 100 IX. IRVING AND THE KNICKERBOCKER SCHOOL 110 X. JAMES FENIMORE COOPER 141 XI. WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT 158 XII. EDGAR ALLAN POE 173 XIII. THE TRANSCENDENTALISTS 190 XIV. RALPH WALDO EMERSON 199 XV. HENRY DAVID THOREAU 221 XVI. NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE 236 XVII. JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER 252 XVIII. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW 267