Birrell, Obiter Dicta (second series), 1887; W.B. Yeats,
Celtic Twilight, 1893; Edward Thomas, The South Country, 1909; Hilaire
Belloc, First and Last, 1911.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction vii

1. A Printer's Prologue
Wm. Caxton, _Morte D'Arthur_ 1

2. Dame Prudence on Riches
Geoffrey Chaucer, _Tale of Melibeus_ 4

3. Of Painting the Face
T.T., _New Essays_, 1614 8

4. Hamlet's Advice to the Players
Shakespeare, _Hamlet_ 10

5. Of Adversity
Francis Bacon, _Essays_ 11

6. Of Travel
" " " 12

7. Of Wisdom for a Man's Self
" " " 14

8. Of Ambition
" " " 15

9. Of Gardens
" " " 17

10. Of Studies
" " " 22

11. The Good Schoolmaster
Thomas Fuller, _Holy and Profane States_ 24

12. On Death
Jeremy Taylor, _Holy Living and Holy Dying_ 27

13. Of Winter
Thomas Dekker 30

14. How a Gallant should behave himself in a Play-house
Thomas Dekker, _Gull's Horn Book_ 31

15. Of Myself
Abraham Cowley, _Discourses_ 35

16. The Grand Elixir
Pope, _The Guardian_, No. 11 39

17. Jack Lizard
Steele, _The Guardian_, No. 24 43

18. A Meditation upon a Broomstick, According to the Style and
Manner of the Hon. Robert Boyle's Meditations
Swift, _Prose Writings_ 47

19. Pulpit Eloquence
Swift, _The Tatler_, No. 66 48

20. The Art of Political Lying
Swift, _The Examiner_, No. 15 51