Library of the best American literature: Containing the lives of our authors in story form, their portraits, their homes, and their personal traits, how they worked and what they wrote

In Short

This monumental 1897 anthology surveys the landscape of American letters across ten distinct categories, offering readers an expansive portrait of the nation's creative identity. Organised into sections devoted to major poets, novelists, women writers, essayists, historians, national humorists, authors for young people, journalists, and celebrated orators, the volume blends narrative biography with representative selections of verse, prose, and public speeches. Readers encounter early nature poets like William Cullen Bryant, transcendental philosophers like Ralph Waldo Emerson, frontier chroniclers like Bret Harte, and seminal figures such as Walt Whitman, Washington Irving, and Abraham Lincoln. The text tracks how American writers severed intellectual ties with European traditions, wrestled with the trauma of the Civil War, recorded regional dialects, and forged an optimistic, self-reliant literary tradition. It endures as a vivid historical time capsule, capturing not only the canonical texts of nineteenth-century America, but also the cultural values, pedagogical goals, and national pride of an era striving to define its own heritage.

The Story

The volume opens by laying the groundwork of national imagination through its foundational poets, tracing an intellectual awakening that frees American literature from British influence. William Cullen Bryant initiates this movement in his youth, observing the New England landscape with precise reverence and turning away from narrow partisan politics to universal musings on nature and mortality. Edgar Allan Poe follows with haunting, lyrical explorations of beauty, loss, and otherworldly mystery, while Ralph Waldo Emerson provides the philosophical pivot that cuts the intellectual cable to European thought. Emerson introduces an optimistic transcendentalism, replacing rigid Puritan doctrines of depravity with a belief in human dignity and divine potential. John Greenleaf Whittier applies this poetic conscience to social reform and rural nostalgia, depicting the harshness of winter alongside the warm sanctuary of the New England hearth. James Russell Lowell champions intellectual self-reliance and civic freedom, while Walt Whitman expands the boundaries of verse entirely, embracing the body, the soul, democracy, and national grief in bold, unrhymed cadences. James Whitcomb Riley closes the poetic awakening by capturing childhood wonder and regional speech through the beloved figure of the Raggedy Man.

From poetry, the narrative trajectory transitions into narrative fiction, showing how writers document the expanding geography and social upheaval of the nation. James Fenimore Cooper establishes American romance by translating his sailor years and wilderness experiences into sea tales and Revolutionary sagas, proving that domestic history provides fertile ground for fiction. Following the trauma of the Civil War, southern storytellers like Thomas Nelson Page capture the vanishing plantation world and regional vernacular, while George W. Cable explores the commercial bustle of New Orleans, contrasting the high-stakes commerce of Carondelet Street with the municipal care offered at Charity Hospital. Short story masters such as Edward Everett Hale construct realistic narratives that instill patriotic devotion, demonstrating how imaginative storytelling can shape national citizenship and moral responsibility.

The arc then expands into reflective prose, historical inquiry, and critical scholarship. Washington Irving emerges as the pioneer who demonstrates that literature can sustain a professional life, blending gentle humor with enduring human sympathy. Donald Grant Mitchell, writing as Ik Marvel, investigates the quiet psychological landscape of memory and domestic reflection, arguing that childhood recollections in old family garrets evolve alongside an individual's emotional growth. Historians widen the scope of American scholarship beyond national borders: George Bancroft devotes eight decades of disciplined labor to charting American constitutional development, while William H. Prescott recreates the complex administrative systems, legal codes, and cultural achievements of ancient civilizations like the golden age of Tezcuco under Nezahualcoyotl.

As the book progresses into its central sections, it examines how humorists and juvenile writers reflect the daily lives, eccentricities, and moral education of ordinary citizens. Frances Miriam Whitcher introduces the Widow Bedott, pioneering the use of satirical alter egos and sharp Yankee dialect to expose hypocrisy and vanity under the guise of casual chatter. Subsequent humorists, including Marietta Holley, employ domestic comedy and absurdity to address social reform, while comic sketch writers portray the chaotic indignities of suburban life, such as a frantic attempt to cure backache with erratic honeybees. In the sphere of young people's literature, moral tales depict children navigating strict classroom discipline, copybook blunders, and sibling rivalry, emphasizing that integrity and truthfulness outweigh immediate comfort or social approval.

In its penultimate movement, the collection turns to journalism and magazine literature, documenting how writers engage with global events, institutional histories, and cultural observation. Biographical studies analyze figures like Ignatius Loyola, illustrating how military discipline transformed into absolute spiritual obedience during the founding of the Jesuit order. Contemporary journalists record public health emergencies such as the plague in India, while literary commentators examine how political appointments, like Nathaniel Hawthorne's consulate in Liverpool, alter creative production by redirecting artistic energy into reflective travel journals.

The volume culminates in the realm of public eloquence, demonstrating how the spoken word directs national destiny and reinforces democratic ideals. Great statesmen and lecturers address critical moments in the republic's history. Daniel Webster honors the legacy of George Washington and defends constitutional integrity against political division, while temperance reformers paint vivid pictures of the destructive slide into habit. Female orators defend women's diplomatic achievements and political agency throughout history, referencing leaders from Queen Isabella to Clara Barton. Abraham Lincoln delivers his concise masterpiece at Gettysburg, re-dedicating the nation to its foundational principle of equality and ensuring that fallen soldiers did not die in vain. James A. Garfield reflects on memory and collegiate youth, and popular lecturers analyze everyday scenes, from infant innocence to patient draft animals. By ending with these public declarations, the collection completes its broad narrative arc: moving from private poetic inspiration to published romance, through historical reflection and social satire, and finally into the shared public space where oratorical conviction unites a diverse nation under common principles.

How It Unfolds

Poetic origins and nature's call — The anthology opens with the youthful verse of William Cullen Bryant, who begins writing at nine years old and captures the quiet majesty of New England. Guided by his father's literary discipline, Bryant rejects fleeting political squabbles to compose profound meditations on nature, drought, and mortality like Thanatopsis. His precocious talent marks the true beginning of a distinct American poetic tradition grounded in reverent observation.

Severing European literary ties — Ralph Waldo Emerson introduces a revolutionary spirit of intellectual independence, casting off traditional British models and Puritan austerity. He replaces doctrines of human depravity with an optimistic vision of transcendentalism that celebrates human dignity and spiritual intuition. His essays and lectures inspire contemporaries like Thoreau and Hawthorne, laying the philosophic foundation for national letters.

Chanting the democratic spirit — Walt Whitman breaks traditional metrical boundaries to celebrate the raw vitality, physical reality, and democratic equality of the American people. He proclaims the equal worth of men and women while recording both the ecstatic joys and deep grieves of his era. His moving elegy for President Lincoln captures a heart-wrenching loss alongside the triumphant preservation of the Union.

Romances of frontier and sea — Novelist James Fenimore Cooper turns his real-world naval service and rural upbringing into gripping historical romances set on land and ocean. Spurred by a casual challenge from his wife, Cooper writes stories of Revolutionary spies and wilderness frontiersmen that fascinate international audiences. His success demonstrates that American history contains rich material capable of competing with European fiction.

Southern vistas and city pulse — Post-war writers like Thomas Nelson Page and George W. Cable capture the shifting social landscape and regional dialects of the American South. Page recreates plantation memories and local vernacular, while Cable brings the vibrant commerce of New Orleans to life along Carondelet Street. Cable contrasts the aggressive financial maneuvering of cotton brokers with the compassionate, quiet medical care provided at Charity Hospital.

Memories in the quiet garret — Washington Irving and Donald Grant Mitchell explore personal reflection, domestic comfort, and the soothing power of nostalgia. Writing as Ik Marvel, Mitchell describes how rainy days in an old family garret allow a boy to explore dusty barrels and dress up in vintage clothes. These intimate essays argue that childhood memories continue to grow and illuminate human life long after youth has passed.

Laws and lost kingdoms — Historians George Bancroft and William H. Prescott broaden the collection's horizon through rigorous archival research and epic historical narratives. Bancroft dedicates eight decades to recording American political development, while Prescott details the golden age of Tezcuco under King Nezahualcoyotl. Prescott describes a sophisticated civilization governed by strict legal codes, administrative councils, and a censorious council of music that punished historical falsehoods.

Satire behind the window pane — Humorous writer Frances Miriam Whitcher introduces the famous Widow Bedott, using authentic Yankee dialect to lampoon small-town hypocrisy and pretense. Her success paves the way for later humorists who use fictional alter egos to deliver sharp moral truths wrapped in comedy. Subsequent comic sketches depict hilarious domestic mishaps, such as a man accidentally unleashing a bottle of enraged bees in bed while trying to soothe his back pain.

Lessons of the copybook — Instructional narratives designed for young readers highlight the necessity of moral discipline, truthfulness, and emotional restraint in daily life. In one representative story, young Elsie suffers under a strict teacher after her brother Arthur teases her and causes a severe ink blot on her copybook. Rather than cheating or tearing out the damaged page, Elsie endures unfair punishment, illustrating that personal integrity is far more precious than temporary comfort.

Dispatches and spiritual vows — Journalistic entries and biographical sketches examine global events, administrative duties, and the founding of historic religious institutions. One sketch details how Ignatius Loyola transformed his military training into absolute vows of obedience to establish the Jesuit order. Other dispatches detail the horrors of the plague in India or record how consular duties in Liverpool forced Nathaniel Hawthorne to pause novel writing in favor of detailed travel journals.

Eloquence in the public square — The volume concludes with powerful public speeches that define the nation's core ideals and moral obligations. Daniel Webster calls upon citizens to defend constitutional unity under the banner of Washington, while female lecturers champion women's historical contributions to diplomacy and governance. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address provides a sacred climax, urging the living to ensure that a government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish.

The People

William Cullen Bryant seeks to give voice to the serene majesty of the American wilderness and the quiet contemplation of mortality. Encouraged by his father to avoid bombastic style, Bryant faces the challenge of carving out an authentic poetic voice in a young nation with little literary tradition. He grows from a precocious child composing verses at nine into the recognized "Poet of Nature," establishing American poetry with works like "Thanatopsis."

Ralph Waldo Emerson strives to liberate American thought from its passive dependence on European traditions and the gloomy constraints of Puritan theology. He confronts a culture that views human desire for beauty as inherently depravity. By articulating an optimistic philosophy of transcendentalism, Emerson transforms into the nation’s foremost intellectual prophet, empowering writers like Thoreau and Hawthorne to explore original, self-reliant paths.

James Fenimore Cooper initially desires nothing more than the quiet life of a Westchester country gentleman following his years as a sailor. When he impulsively claims he can write a better story than an English novel he is reading, his lack of authorial experience stands in his way. Through persistent effort, Cooper evolves into America’s premier pioneer romancer, using his nautical expertise and frontier lore to craft enduring tales like The Spy.

King Nezahualcoyotl aims to rebuild his shattered kingdom of Tezcuco and unify his people after years of oppressive misrule. Confronted by ruined cities and former rebel nobles who betrayed him out of fear, he chooses magnanimity over vengeance. By granting a general amnesty and framing a comprehensive legal code alongside a council of music and science, he transforms his realm into a golden age of law and culture.

Frances Miriam Whitcher wants to use satirical writing to instruct her readers and critique social hypocrisy. Her ambition is threatened by local neighbors who take offense at seeing their own traits mocked in print. By adopting the persona of the "Widow Bedott," Whitcher overcomes personal exposure and becomes a trailblazer of American humor, establishing the archetype of the dialect-speaking alter ego for future satirists.

Abraham Lincoln seeks to hold together a divided republic during the catastrophic violence of the Civil War. Facing immense national grief and the horrific loss of life on battlefields like Gettysburg, he uses public eloquence to reframe the conflict. Lincoln emerges as the tragic steward of liberty, whose concise words redefine the war's purpose as a sacred test to ensure democratic self-government endures forever.

In Its Own Voice

In evaluating how Ralph Waldo Emerson shattered centuries of intellectual dependence and liberated American literature from rigid European models, the anthology records James Russell Lowell's memorable assessment of the philosopher's liberating impact:

We were socially and intellectually bound to English thought, until Emerson cut the cable and gave us a chance at the dangers and glories of blue waters.

Describing the quiet joys of domestic nostalgia and childhood play, Donald Grant Mitchell paints a warm picture of how a rainy day transforms an old storage space into an arena for youthful exploration:

I know no nobler forage-ground for a romantic, venturesome, mischievous boy, than the garret of an old family mansion on a day of storm.

Standing upon a bloody Civil War battlefield to dedicate a cemetery for fallen soldiers, President Abraham Lincoln issues a timeless summons to the American people to preserve their democratic heritage:

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, and that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth.

What It's Really About

At its core, this volume investigates how a young republic constructs a distinct national culture independent of European tradition. Underneath its celebratory biographies and anthologized texts lies a persistent inquiry: can a democratic society, born out of colonial dependency and tested by catastrophic civil war, produce literature equal in dignity and permanence to the old world? The anthology argues that true national literature requires intellectual self-reliance, moral purpose, and an unyielding commitment to truth.

The text continually balances twin impulses: the elevated idealism of nature poets and transcendental philosophers against the grounded reality of regional dialect, domestic humor, and juvenile discipline. It demonstrates that American creative expression gains its strength not from elite courtly tradition, but from the everyday experiences of ordinary citizens—whether in New England farmhouses, Western mining camps, Southern plantations, or urban exchanges.

Furthermore, the collection frames literature as an active instrument of moral and civic formation. Authors are presented not merely as entertainers, but as moralists, historians, and statesmen whose words guide public virtue, defend constitutional liberty, and foster national unity. Ultimately, the book asserts that a nation's enduring legacy resides in the character of its writers and the spiritual freedom of its people.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in the evolution of American culture, nineteenth-century publishing history, and forgotten regional voices will find this expansive omnibus a fascinating retrospective. Reading the volume feels like wandering through a grand, sunlit Victorian parlor filled with framed portraits, family heirlooms, and historical relics. There is a quiet satisfaction in discovering how nineteenth-century editors curated their own literary heritage, elevating figures who shaped the national consciousness while presenting their lives as heroic morality plays.

What stays with the reader is the incredible diversity of form and spirit packed into a single volume. One moves seamlessly from the solemn nature meditations of Bryant and the soaring democratic chants of Whitman to the razor-sharp frontier comedy of Bret Harte and the intimate domestic reflections of Ik Marvel. The text offers rare glimpses into the lived reality of an era—capturing the bustle of New Orleans cotton trading on Carondelet Street, the harsh solitude of New England blizzards, and the quiet dignity of battlefield dedications.

However, modern readers should approach the text with an honest awareness of its period difficulties. The volume reflects the distinct moralizing tone and romanticized biases of the late Victorian era. Sentimental treatments of post-Civil War plantation life gloss over historic cruelties, presenting an idealized view of slave society that contrasts sharply with modern historical understanding. Additionally, the heavy reliance on phonetic regional dialects—from Yankee vernacular to frontier slang—requires patient reading and can occasionally slow down narrative momentum. Strict moral tales for children, such as the rigid discipline surrounding schoolroom copybooks, may feel overly didactic to modern sensibilities.

Despite these period barriers, the collection remains an indispensable time capsule. It provides an authentic window into how nineteenth-century Americans understood their own stories, honored their heroes, and defined their identity. For anyone seeking to understand the roots of American literature and the ideals that sustained a growing republic, this comprehensive volume offers a rewarding, deeply immersive journey.