
Cover created by Transcriber and placed into the Public Domain.
PREFATORY NOTE
LITERARY STUDIES
LYRIC AND DRAMATIC ELEMENTS IN LITERATURE AND ART
DUALISM IN NATIONAL LIFE
DID SHAKESPEARE WRITE BACON'S WORKS
THE EVOLUTION OF A GREAT POEM
RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL
AFFINITIES OF BUDDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY
WHY I AM NOT A FREE-RELIGIONIST
A sweeping collection of thoughtful essays, this volume gathers a preacher‑scholar’s reflections on religion, literature, philosophy, and history. Readers are invited to compare the great world faiths, trace the rise and fall of ideas, and consider everyday spirituality, all presented in clear, accessible language. The opening sections also probe how belief shapes society, offering a fresh lens on age‑old questions without demanding prior expertise.
The book then turns to literary analysis, famously distinguishing “lyric” from “dramatic” modes of expression. By examining how a writer’s personal voice either shines through or fades into the world they depict, the essays illuminate the creative balance between subjectivity and objectivity. Alongside essays on notable figures and pivotal events, the work offers a lively, reasoned companion for anyone curious about the interplay of thought, art, and faith.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (495K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chris Curnow, Charlie Howard, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2014-01-08
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1810–1888
A leading Unitarian voice in nineteenth-century America, he wrote about religion, ethics, and world faiths in a way that welcomed curiosity rather than dogma. His work joined ministry, reform, and clear popular writing, making him an influential public thinker in Boston and beyond.
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