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THE

PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS

IN

LITERATURE

EDITED

WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES

BY

FRED N. SCOTT, PH.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF RHETORIC IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

THIRD EDITION

Boston

ALLYN AND BACON

AND CHICAGO

COPYRIGHT, 1891,

BY FRED N. SCOTT.

Norwood Press

J. S. Cushing & Co. - Berwick & Smith

Norwood Mass. U.S.A.

PREFACE.

THE editor's purpose in reprinting this admirable little treatise on literature is, primarily, to make it accessible to his own classes in rhetoric and literary criticism. It has been his custom, as it doubtless is that of many other teachers of rhetoric, to supplement the text-book by reference to various sources of information upon psychology, logic, language, and æsthetics. Books on these topics, written by persons who know what they are writing about, neither too abstruse nor too much diluted with sentiment, are singularly few in number. Professor A. S. Cook did good service, therefore, to teachers and students alike, when, in 1885, he brought these Fortnightly articles again to general attention by reprinting them in pamphlet form. Hardly any other work on literature with which I am acquainted is so thoroughly sound in principle, and at the same time so suggestive and inspiring. Lewes's essay has, too, what is noticeably lacking in many better known writings, a bracing, healthful tone. The customary sentimentalizing about the glories of literature is reduced to a minimum. Literary and critical superstitions of various kinds are ruthlessly picked in pieces. It is just the work to go into the hands of that hope and despair of the teacher of rhetoric, the callow young man with a sneaking ambition for literature, much sentiment, and a decided relish for rhetorical decoration.

The book may be used in the class-room in a great variety of ways. The writer's preference is for what may be called a rudimentary form of the seminary method. The members of the class are not asked to recite as from a text-book, but, having read the treatise, or a portion of it, with much care, are encouraged to discuss with the instructor and with one another, as many of the important points as the time will allow. Advantage may be taken of the interest thus aroused to suggest other lines of reading. In this way the student will be led to undertake original research, 142172

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