The Project Gutenberg EBook of Elementary Guide to Literary Criticism, by
F. V. N. Painter

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Title: Elementary Guide to Literary Criticism

Author: F. V. N. Painter

Release Date: January 16, 2008 [EBook #24326]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Notes: In the text, there are symbolic representations of
lines of poetry. Where these occur, u represents an unaccented syllable
and -' indicates an accented syllable. Words in italics in the original
are surrounded by _underscores_. Words in bold in the original are
surrounded by +plus signs+. More transcriber's notes follow the text.

ELEMENTARY GUIDE TO
LITERARY CRITICISM

BY

F. V. N. PAINTER, A.M., D.D.

PROFESSOR OF MODERN LANGUAGES IN ROANOKE COLLEGE
AUTHOR OF "A HISTORY OF EDUCATION," "HISTORY
OF ENGLISH LITERATURE," "INTRODUCTION
TO AMERICAN LITERATURE," ETC.

BOSTON, U.S.A.
GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
The Athenaeum Press
1903

COPYRIGHT, 1903
BY F. V. N. PAINTER

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PREFACE

The aim of the present work, as is indicated by its name, is to help the
young student in literary criticism. It is a sort of laboratory manual,
in which he will find specific direction for a comprehensive analysis of
the principal kinds of literature. It is intended to show him the
various points in relation to form, content, and spirit, to which in
succession he is to devote his attention. It is hoped that the book will
give definiteness and delight to literary study, which, for lack of such
a guide, has so often been vague, unsatisfactory, and discouraging.

A glance at the table of contents will clearly reveal the plan. The work
is divided into three parts, the first of which treats of fundamental
principles. In three chapters the nature of criticism, the relation of
the author to his work, and the aesthetic principles underlying literary
art are briefly discussed. The facts and principles here presented are
designed to