Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 12

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

32308

Title

Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 12

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume presents a curated collection of ancient and modern masterpieces, featuring excerpts from Denis Diderot's philosophical inquiries, Alexandre Dumas's adventurous romances, Jean Victor Duruy's historical analyses of Rome, and diverse literary forms including Javanese manuscripts and medieval poetry. The tone ranges from the sublime to the satirical, offering readers a sweeping journey through human thought, history, and imagination.

Summary up to 500 words

Volume XII of the Library of the World's Best Literature presents a sweeping panorama of global literary achievement, beginning with a Javanese illuminated manuscript. This artifact traces the origins of Oceanic dialects to an ancient language of Java and showcases religious tracts written on native vegetable paper, adorned with grotesque drawings. The volume then turns to the eighteenth-century French intellectual Denis Diderot, the leader of the Encyclopedists. Diderot's works, such as the 'Letter on the Blind,' challenge religious dogma and explore the relativity of ethical standards. His materialistic views and role in the 'Encyclopédie' sparked significant controversy, as his arguments demonstrated how depriving the mind of sensory input invalidates absolute ethical foundations, anticipating modern evolutionary hypotheses. The narrative shifts to Alexandre Dumas, described as a 'force of nature' whose prolific output includes 'The Three Musketeers' and 'The Count of Monte Cristo.' Dumas blended historical fact with fantasy, creating full-blooded characters from dry bones of history. His lavish lifestyle included a menagerie of pets and a palace named 'Monte Cristo,' which he joyously ruined. A specific scene from 'The Count of Monte Cristo' illustrates the Count's interaction with a gardener at Montlhéry, discussing dormice and the nature of ambition, highlighting the Count's ability to win hearts through curiosity. The collection also features Jean Victor Duruy, a significant French educator and historian. His works on Greek and Roman history emphasize the cultural milieu, illustrating how Rome fused the brilliant but corrupt civilization of the East with the barbaric energy of the West. Duruy's analysis covers Rome's diplomatic expansion and its lasting legacy on Western culture. Further selections include medieval poetry like 'The Thistle and the Rose' and 'No Treasure Avails Without Gladness,' alongside works by authors such as John Donne, Feodor Dostoevsky, and A. Conan Doyle. The volume serves as an educational anthology, providing biographical sketches and contextual notes to introduce readers to a vast wilderness of literary fancy and historical insight.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Literature