Two hundred and twenty-four copies printed in the month of March, 1897. This is No. LECTURES ON ENGLISH POETS BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL “--CALL UP HIM WHO LEFT HALF-TOLD THE STORY OF CAMBUSCAN BOLD.” [Illustration] CLEVELAND THE ROWFANT CLUB MDCCCXCVII Copyright, 1897, BY THE ROWFANT CLUB. CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION, vii LECTURE I, DEFINITIONS, 3 LECTURE II, PIERS PLOUGHMAN’S VISION, 23 LECTURE III, THE METRICAL ROMANCES, 39 LECTURE IV, THE BALLADS, 59 LECTURE V, CHAUCER, 79 LECTURE VI, SPENSER, 97 LECTURE VII, MILTON, 117 LECTURE VIII, BUTLER, 135 LECTURE IX, POPE, 149 LECTURE X, POETIC DICTION, 167 LECTURE XI, WORDSWORTH, 183 LECTURE XII, THE FUNCTION OF THE POET, 199 INTRODUCTION Whilst midway in his thirty-fifth year Lowell was appointed to deliver a course of lectures before the Institute founded by a relative, and bearing the family name. He was then known as the author of two volumes of poems besides the biting “Fable for Critics” and the tender “Vision of Sir Launfal,” and the nimbus was still brightly shining around the head of him who had created the tuneful “Hosea Biglow” and the erudite “Parson Wilbur.” It was not the accident of relationship that procured this appointment; he had fairly earned the honor by his scholarly acquirements and poetly achievements. When the twelfth and last lecture had been delivered, the correspondent of the “New York Evening Post” wrote: