This classic reference work offers a comprehensive overview of British and American literature, from Beowulf to the Brontës to Walt Whitman. Edited by Robert Chambers, the book includes biographical information and critical analyses of key authors, as well as excerpts from their works. The 1860 edition of Chambers's Cyclopædia was a landmark in literary scholarship and remains an essential resource for students and scholars today. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.