Francis Turner Palgrave (1824-1897) is best known for his "Golden Treasury of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language". It was an immediate bestseller at its appearance in 1861, has been expanded and reprinted to the present day, and is considered to be the most important anthology in the literary history of England. It has been so dominant that it has overshadowed Palgrave’s other impressive work. For one, he was a leading art critic, praised or feared by some, but taken seriously by all. For another, he was a tireless historian and critic of English, Classical, and European literature, his efforts crowned by his tenure as Professor of Poetry in Oxford from 1885 to 1895. He was also a respected poet, who produced six volumes of poetry and numerous poems in journals ands for special occasions. And in addition he published three novels, stories and plays for children, numerous editions of poets, collections of hymns, and anthologies. The aim of the present undertaking, the first descriptive survey of all his works, is to make these works known so that he may be accorded a proper place in the cultural history of the Victorian Age.
|