In the preliminary statement of the aims and objects of this History, communicated to those who were invited to become contributors to it, the editors emphasised the following purpose of their undertaking: A connected account was to be given of the successive movements of English literature, both main and subsidiary; and this was intended to imply an adequate treatment of secondary writers, instead of their being overshadowed by a few great names. - Summary by Preface
Chapters
1 The Beginnings by A.R. Waller 15 min 2 Runes and Manuscripts Part 1 by A.C. Paues 21 min 3 Runes and Manuscripts Part 2 by A.C. Paues 16 min 4 Early National Poetry Part 1 by H. Munroe Chadwick 29 min 5 Early National Poetry Part 2 by H. Munroe Chadwick 18 min 6 Early National Poetry Part 3 by H. Munroe Chadwick 20 min 7 Old English Christian Poetry Part 1 by M. Bentick Smith 24 min 8 Old English Christian Poetry Part 2 by M. Bentick Smith 27 min 9 Old English Christian Poetry Part 3 by M. Bentick Smith 21 min 10 Latin Writings in England to the Time of Alfred Part 1 by Montague Rhodes James 22 min 11 Latin Writings in England to the Time of Alfred Part 2 by Montague Rhodes James 22 min 12 Latin Writings in England to the Time of Alfred Part 3 by Montague Rhodes James 24 min 13 Alfred and the Old English Prose of his Reign Part 1 by P.G. Thomas 16 min 14 Alfred and the Old English Prose of his Reign Part 2 by P.G. Thomas 15 min 15 Alfred and the Old English Prose of his Reign Part 3 by P.G. Thomas 26 min 16 From Alfred to the Conquest Part 1 by John S. Westlake 33 min 17 From Alfred to the Conquest Part 2 by John S. Westlake 17 min 18 From Alfred to the Conquest Part 3 by John S. Westlake 25 min 19 From Alfred to the Conquest Part 4 by John S. Westlake 30 min 20 From Alfred to the Conquest Part 5 by John S. Westlake 21 min 21 The Norman Conquest by A.R. Waller 15 min 22 Latin Chroniclers from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries Part 1 by W. Lewis Jones 21 min 23 Latin Chroniclers from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries Part 2 by W. Lewis Jones 22 min 24 Latin Chroniclers from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries Part 3 by W. Lewis Jones 23 min 25 Latin Chroniclers from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries Part 4 by W. Lewis Jones 13 min 26 English Scholars of Paris and Franciscans of Oxford Part 1 by J.W. Sandys 29 min 27 English Scholars of Paris and Franciscans of Oxford Part 2 by J.W. Sandys 27 min 28 English Scholars of Paris and Franciscans of Oxford Part 3 by J.W. Sandys 29 min 29 English Scholars of Paris and Franciscans of Oxford Part 4 by J.W. Sandys 18 min 30 Early Transition English Part 1 by J.W.H. Atkins 40 min 31 Early Transition English Part 2 by J.W.H. Atkins 13 min 32 Early Transition English Part 3 by J.W.H. Atkins 26 min 33 The Arthurian Legend Part 1 by W. Lewis Jones 24 min 34 The Arthurian Legend Part 2 by W. Lewis Jones 33 min 35 The Arthurian Legend Part 3 by W. Lewis Jones 24 min 36 The Arthurian Legend Part 4 by W. Lewis Jones 18 min 37 Metrical Romances I, 1200-1500 Part 1 by W.P. Ker 17 min 38 Metrical Romances I, 1200-1500 Part 2 by W.P. Ker 23 min 39 Metrical Romances I, 1200-1500 Part 3 by W.P. Ker 24 min 40 Metrical Romances II, 1200-1500 Part 1 by J.W.H. Atkins 19 min 41 Metrical Romances II, 1200-1500 Part 2 by J.W.H. Atkins 19 min 42 Metrical Romances II, 1200-1500 Part 3 by J.W.H. Atkins 19 min 43 "Pearl," "Cleannness," "Patience," and "Sir Gawayne" Part 1 by I. Gollancz 16 min 44 "Pearl," "Cleannness," "Patience," and "Sir Gawayne" Part 2 by I. Gollancz 27 min 45 Later Transition English I Legendaries and Chroniclers Part 1 by Clara L Thomson 25 min 46 Later Transition English I Legendaries and Chroniclers Part 2 by Clara L Thomson 26 min 47 Later Transition English I Legendaries and Chroniclers Part 3 by Clara L Thomson 20 min 48 Later Transition English II Secular Lyrics; Tales; Social Satire Part 1 by A.R. Waller 21 min 49 Later Transition English II Secular Lyrics; Tales; Social Satire Part 2 by A.R. Waller 10 min 50 The Prosody of Old and Middle English by George Saintsbury 20 min 51 Changes in the Language to the Days of Chaucer Part 1 by Henry Bradley 14 min 52 Changes in the Language to the Days of Chaucer Part 2 by Henry Bradley 23 min 53 Changes in the Language to the Days of Chaucer Part 3 by Henry Bradley 18 min 54 Changes in the Language to the Days of Chaucer Part 4 by Henry Bradley 32 min 55 The Anglo-French Law Language by F.W. Maitland 21 min 56 Appendix to Chapter 7: The Old English Sung, or Ballad, Metre 20 min
