CONTENTS.
FIRST COLONIAL PERIOD: 1607-1676
CHAPTER I
THE BEGINNING
I. - The procession of the first English-speaking colonies from the old world to the new- Our first literary period that of the planting of the American nation- Our first American writers immigrant Americans- True Fathers of American literature- The literary traits they brought with them..................... 5
II. - Why those first Americans wrote books- True classification of early American writings- Tidings sent back - controversial appeals - Defences against calumny - Descriptions of the new lands. - And of the new life there - Books of religion - Poetry - Historics - Miscellaneous prose............................................... 7
III. - Birth year of American literature - State of English literature when American literature was born- Interest of Englishmen then in their barbaric American empire - departure from England of the first English Americans - Michael Drayton's farewell ode to them......................................... 11
CHAPTER II.
VIRGINIA: THE FIRST WRITER.
I.- The arrival in America of the first Americans- A fortunate blunder - satisfaction with their new home................... 16
II. - The sort of men they were- Their leaders - Captain John Smith - His previous career- His character - His important relation to early American settlemetns- The first writer in American literature............................................................17
III. - His first book - Its publication in London in 1608 - A literary synchronism - American literature and John Milton - Synopsis of the book -Notable passages - The fable of his rescue by Pocahontas- The place of the book at the head of American literature- summary of its literary traits................20