Books like A literary history of England by Albert Croll Baugh

An authoritative anthology of English literature featuring works from the most influential writers across centuries.

Better known for her five volume portrait of English rural life, Our Village, Mary Russell Mitford (1787-1855) was one of the most prolific female writers of her day. Part critical essay, part autobiography, Recollections consists of a series of sketches on and selections from Mitford's favourite authors, stemming from her desire 'to make others relish a few favourite writers as heartily as I have relished them myself'. The collection is arranged according to Mitford's own eclectic system of categorization including 'fashionable poets', 'cavalier poets', and 'poetry that poets love'. Mitford wears her immense literary skill lightly and Recollections is masterfully written, full of lively wit and fascinating biographical detail. Published just three years before Mitford's death, it was based on earlier articles and letters. Authors included range from Chaucer to Sir Walter Scott and Mitford's friend Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

"Few works of a personal or self-revelatory nature were published before 1700. On the other hand, we see in seventeenth century literature many kinds of autobiographical writings, to which their authors gave such titles as Journal of the life of me, Confessions, etc. This present work is a study of nearly two hundred of those, published and unpublished."--Page 2 of cover.