About this book
This is the second volume of the collected Curiosities of Literature by Isaac D'Israeli. As in volume one, D'Isreali again takes us on a tour around literature, with a dash of history and politics here and there. The subjects are so varied that all listeners can count on learning something new. - Summary by Carolin
Chapters (83)
1Charles the First
2Duke of Buckingham
3The Death of Charles IX
4Royal Promotions
5Nobility
6Modes of Salutation, and Amicable Ceremonies, Observed in Various Nations
7Fire, and the Origin of Fireworks
8The Bible Prohibited and Improved
9Origin of the Materials of Writing
10Anecdotes of European Manners
11The Early Drama
12The Marriage of the Arts
13A Contrivance in Dramatic Dialogue
14The Comedy of a Madman
15Solitude
16Literary Friendships
17Anecdotes of Abstraction of Mind
18Richardson
19Influence of a Name
20The Jews of York
21The Sovereignty of the Seas
22On the Custom of Kissing Hands
23Popes
24Literary Composition
25Poetical Imitations and Similarities
26Explanation of the Fac-Simile
27Literary Fashions
28The Pantomimical Characters
29Extemporal Comedies
30Massinger, Milton, and the Italian Theatre
31Songs of Trades, or Songs for the People
32Introducers of Exotic Flowers, Fruits, etc.
33Usurers of the Seventeenth Century
34Chidiock Titchbourne
35Elizabeth and her Parliament
36Anecdotes of Prince Henry, the Son of James I, when a Child
37The Diary of a Master of the Ceremonies
38Diaries - Moral, Historical, and Critical
39Licensers of the Press
40Of Anagrams and Echo Verses
41Orthography of Proper Names
42Names of Our Streets
43Secret History of Edward Vere, Earl of Oxford
44Ancient Cookery, and Cooks
45Ancient and Modern Saturnalia
46Reliquiae Gethinianae
47Robinson Crusoe
48Catholic and Protestant Dramas
49The History of the Theatre during its Suppression
50Drinking-Customs in England
51Literary Anecdotes
52Condemned Poets
53Acajou and Zirphile
54Tom o' Bedlams
55Introduction of Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate
56Charles the First's Love of the Fine Arts
57Secret History of Charles the First, and his Queen Henrietta
58The Minister - the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu
59The Minister - Duke of Buckingham, Lord Admiral, Lord General, etc. etc. etc.
60Felton, the Political Assassin
61Johnson's Hints for the Life of Pope
62Modern Literature - Bayle's Critical Dictionary
63Characteristics of Bayle
64Cicero Viewed as a Collector
65The History of the Caracci
66An English Academy of Literature
67Quotation
68The Origin of Dante's Inferno
69Of a History of Events which have not Happened
70Of False Political Reports
71Of Suppressors and Dilapidators of Manuscripts
72Parodies
73Anecdotes of the Fairfax Family
74Medicine and Morals
75Psalm-Singing
76On the Ridiculous Titles Assumed by Italian Academies
77On the Hero of Hudibras, Butler Vindicated
78Shenstone's School-Mistress
79Ben Johnson on Translation
80The Loves of 'The Lady Arabella'
81Domestic History of Sir Edward Coke
82Of Coke's Style, and his Conduct
83Secret History of Authors who have Ruined their Booksellers
Comments