Literary Criticism and Literary History

[This page is still in progress. Much of Lang’s literary criticism is, of course, found in periodical essays and reviews rather than in book form (and much of that is scattered among his “At the Sign of the Ship” articles in Longman’s), though some of his books of essays reprint earlier work from periodicals.]

Advice

Appreciations

Criticism/Essays

Editions

  • Molière’s Les Précieuses Ridicules, Edited with Introduction and Notes by Andrew Lang, M.A. (Clarendon Press, 1884)
  • Ballads of Books [Edited by Andrew Lang], (Longmans, Green, and Co., 1888). As Lang states in his preface: “This collection, ‘Ballads of Books,’ is a recast of the volume of the same name, edited by Mr. Brander Matthews, and published by Mr. Coombes (New York, 1887). An editor must be meddling, and I have altered Mr. Mathew’s work in some respects. The poems are now arranged by the dates of their authors . . . . Mr. Matthews’s dedication is preserved, and this English edition comes to a Poet and a Book-collector with good will from both the American and English editors” (vii)
  • Le Morte Darthur by Syr Thomas Malory: The Original Edition of William Caxton Now Reprinted and Edited by H. Oskar Sommer, Ph.D., vol. 3: Studies on the Sources, with an Introductory Essay by Andrew Lang, M.A. (David Nutt, 1891)
  • Waverley Novels (by Walter Scott, edited with introductory essays and notes, by Andrew Lang), 48 volumes (Nimmo 1893–94). These were reissued in 24 volumes as a “Large Type Border Edition” in 1898. Links to Lang’s introductions are provided in whatever edition they can be found.
    Vols. 1–2, Waverley [The Nimmo 1898 one-volume Border Edition is linked here, with Lang’s editor’s note, introduction (dated Sep. 1892, pp. lxxxi–cii), and notes]
    Vols. 3–4, Guy Mannering, the Astrologer (vol. 2 in 1898, introduction dated Oct. 1892) 
    Vols. 5–6 The Antiquary (vol. 3 in 1898, introduction dated Nov. 1892)
    Vols. 7–8 Rob Roy (vol. 4 in 1898, introduction dated Dec. 1892)
    Vols. 9–10 Old Mortality (vol. 5 in 1898, introduction dated Jan. 1893)
    Vols. 11–12 The Heart of Mid-Lothian (vol. 6 in 1898, introduction dated Feb. 1893)
    Vol. 13, A Legend of Montrose (A Legend of Montrose; and The Black Dwarf were vol. 7 in 1898 (1898 introduction to LM, pp. ix–xv; BD, pp. 315–320, both introductions dated Mar. 1893)
    Vol. 14–15, The Bride of Lammermoor; The Black Dwarf (The Bride of Lammermoor was vol. 8 in 1898; the introduction was dated Mar. 1893, ix–xxiv) (Linked introduction from New York E. B. Hall edition of 1893)
    Vols. 16–17, Ivanhoe (vol. 9 of the 1898 edition; the introduction is dated Apr. 1893, pp. ix–xxv)
    Vols. 18–19, The Monastery; (vol. 10 in 1898; the introduction is dated May 1893)
    Vols. 20–21, The Abbot (vol. 11 in 1898; the introduction is dated June 1893)
    Vols. 22–23, Kenilworth (vol. 12 in 1898; the introduction is dated July 1893, pp. ix–xxvi)
    Vols. 24–25, The Pirate (vol. 13 in 1898; the introduction is dated Aug. 1893, pp. ix–xx)
    Vols. 26–27, The Fortunes of Nigel (vol. 14 in 1898; the introduction is dated Sep. 1893, pp. ix–xxii)
    Vols. 28–30, Peveril of the Peak, vol. 2, vol. 3; the Lang intro is at Internet Archive in the Boston Dana Estes edition (vol. 15 in the 1898 Nimmo edition; the introduction is dated Oct. 1893, pp. ix–xviii.)
    Vols. 31–32, Quentin Durward (vol. 16 of the 1898 edition; the introduction is dated Nov. 1893, pp. ix–xix).
    Vols. 33–34, St. Ronan’s Well (vol. 17 in 1898) (link to Lang’s introduction in the New York E. B. Hall edition; introduction to the 1898 Nimmo edition is dated Dec. 1893)
    Vols. 35–36, Redgauntlet (vol. 18 of the 1898 edition; the introduction is dated Jan. 1894.)
    Vol. 37, The Betrothed (The Betrothed and The Talisman formed volume 19 of the 24-volume 1898 edition; the introductions are from Feb. 1894).
    Vol. 38, The Talisman 
    Vols. 39–40, Woodstock (vol. 20 in 1898; the introduction is dated Mar. 1894, pp. ix–xviii)
    Vols. 41–42, The Fair Maid of Perth (vol. 21 in 1898; the introduction is dated to Apr. 1894, pp. ix–xviii)
    Vols. 43–44, Anne of Geierstein (vol. 22 in 1898; the introduction is dated May 1894, ix–xiv)
    Vols. 45–46, Count Robert of Paris; and The Surgeon’s Daughter (vol. 23 in 1898; the introduction is dated June 1894, pp. ix–xiv) 
    Vol. 47, Castle Dangerous (introduction dated July 1894, pp. ix–xv in the 1898 Nimmo edition, in which Castle Dangerous; and, Chronicles of the Canongate were volume 24)
    Vol. 48, Chronicles of the Canongate. (Lang’s introduction appears on pp. 307–312 of the 1898 edition, in which Chronicles of the Canongate followed Castle Dangerous in vol. 24.)
    Please let me know through the Contact section if you are able to find open-access scans of the other novels.
  • The Lyrics and Ballads of Sir Walter Scott (J. M. Dent, 1894)
  • Robert F. Murray (Author of the Scarlet Gown), His Poems: With a Memoir (Longman’s, Green, and Co., 1894) (Lang’s introduction goes until page lxxi.)
  • The Poems and Songs of Robert Burns, Edited with Introduction, Notes, and Glossary by Andrew Lang, assisted by W. A. Craigie, (Methuen,1896)
  • Selections from Coleridge (1898)
  • Selected Poems of Robert Burns, with an Introduction by Andrew Lang (Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.) [The Internet Archive scan is dated 1896. The introduction is fifty pages.]
  • The Works of Charles Dickens in Thirty-four Volumes (Gadshill Edition, London: Chapman and Hall, New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons), editor, 1897–1899, reissued with an additional four volumes with which Lang was not involved in 1908. (Links to the titles below are to the first volume of any two-volume set.)
    The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, vols. 1–2 (1897)
    Oliver Twist,     vol. 3
    The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, vols. 4–5 (1897)
    Martin Chuzzlewit, vols. 6–7
    Dombey and Son, vols. 8–9 (1897)
    The Old Curiosity Shop, vols. 10–11
    Barnaby Rudge    , vols. 12–13 (1897)
    David Copperfield    , vols. 14–15 (1897) (The Internet Archive / GoogleBooks scan of vol. 14 is missing at least one page from its introduction)
    Bleak House    , vols. 16–17
    Christmas Books, vol. 18 (includes A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life, and The Haunted Man)
    Little Dorrit    , vol. 19–20, 1897) [The Internet Archive scan is New York, Charles Scribner and Sons, 1907];
    A Tale of Two Cities, vol. 21 (1898)
    Great Expectations, vol. 22 (1898)
    Our Mutual Friend, vols. 23–24 (1898)
    Hard Times, Hunted down. Holiday romance, and George Silverman’s explanation    , vol. 25
    Sketches by Boz, vols. 26–27 (1898)
    American Notes and Pictures from Italy, vol. 28;
    The Uncommercial Traveller, vol. 29 (1898)
    A Child’s History of England, vol. 30 (1898)
    Christmas Stories from “Household Words” and “All The Year Round”, vols. 31–32 (1898) (vol. 31/vol. 1 includes “A Christmas Tree,” What Christmas is as We Grow Older,”; “The Poor Relation’s Story,” “The Child’s Story,” “The Schoolboy’s Story,” “Nobody’s Story,” “The Seven Poor Travellers,” “The Holly-Tree,” “The Wreck of the Golden Mary,” “The Perils of Certain English Prisoners,” “Going into Society,” “The Haunted House,” “A Message from the Sea,” “Tom Tiddler’s Ground,” and “Somebody’s Luggage”; vol. 32/vol. 2 includes “Mrs. Lirriper’s Lodgings,” “Mrs. Lirriper’s Legacy,” “Doctor Marigold,” “Mugby Junction,” “No Thoroughfare,” and “The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices.”)
    The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Master Humphrey’s Clock, vol. 33 (1899)
    Reprinted pieces, the lamplighter, To be read at dusk, and Sunday under three heads, vol. 34 (1899), includes a “General Essay on the Work of Charles Dickens” by Andrew Lang, pp. ix–xxxvi.
  • The Poems and Ballads of Sir Walter Scott, Bart (1900) editor, volume 2, volume 3, volume 4, volume 5, volume 6 [The Internet Archive Scans are from the International Edition and printed in Boston.]
  • Sir Walter Scott and the Border Minstrelsy (1910)

History / Impressionistic Criticism

Periodical Articles of Interest (General: Preliminary)

  • “Anonymity?” (Part I), New Review 1 (Nov. 1889): 513-531 and to “Anonymity?” (Part II), New Review 2 (Mar. 1890): 265–76. [Lang was one of several contributors to each part.]
  • The “At the Sign of the Ship” articles in Longman’s Magazine (1882–1905) almost all include implicit or explicit literary criticism.
  • “Literary Plagiarism.” Contemporary Review 51 (June 1887): 831–40. (Jan.–Jun. 1887 is available from Internet Archive.)
  • “Literature and the Drama.” (Four articles in the New Review between Feb. 1892 and June 1893. Lang wrote the “literature” part.)
  • “Mythology and Fairy Tales.” Fortnightly Review 19 O.S./13 N.S. (May 1873): 618–31.
  • “Realism and Romance.” Contemporary Review 52 (Nov. 1887): 683–93. (July–Dec. is available from Internet Archive.)
  • “The Science of Criticism (No. II).” New Review 4 (May 1891): 403–08.
  • “Theological Romances.” Contemporary Review 53 (June 1888.): 814–24. [Mainly on Robert Elsemere]

Periodical Articles of Interest (On Specific Authors or Titles: Preliminary–many more are available.)

  • “Charles Dickens.” Fortnightly Review 70 O.S./64 N.S. (Dec. 1898): 944–60.
  • “Emile Zola.” Fortnightly Review 37 O.S./31 N.S. (Apr. 1882): 439–52.
  • “Kalevala; or, the Finnish National Epic.” Fraser’s 85 O.S. / 5 N.S. (June 1872): 667.
  • “Mr. Carlyle’s Reminiscences.” Fraser’s 103 O.S. / 23 N.S. (Apr. 1881): 515.

For more of Andrew Lang’s periodical criticism, see the list of all periodicals to which Lang contributed. See particularly articles in the Contemporary Review, the Cornhill, the Daily News (see Lost Leaders), the Fortnightly Review, Fraser’s, Harper’s, Longman’s, Macmillan’s, The Morning Post, The National Review, The New Review,  and The Saturday Review.

Please do contact me if you think an important piece of criticism is missing.