Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 02 by Warner et al.

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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 02 by Warner et al.

(2 User reviews) 2125

By Abil Kile Posted on Dec 30, 2025

In Category - History

Authors: Published By :

Book Language: English

Okay, so this isn't your typical novel. Forget a single story—this book is a whole library in one volume. It's the second in a massive series that tries to do the impossible: collect the absolute best writing from across the globe and throughout all of history. Think of it as the ultimate literary mixtape, curated over a century ago. The real 'mystery' here is what the editors from the 1890s considered 'the best.' Their choices are a fascinating window into another time's taste. It's a wild, sometimes confusing, but always surprising journey through world literature, and you never know what you'll stumble onto next—ancient Greek drama might be sitting right next to a Renaissance sonnet.

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ATHENÆUS Third Century B.C. Why the Nile Overflows ('Deipnosophistæ') How to Preserve the Health (same) An Account of Some Great Eaters (same) The Love of Animals for Man (same) PER DANIEL AMADEUS ATTERBOM 1790-1855 The Genius of the North The Lily of the Valley Svanhvit's Colloquy ('The Islands of the Blest') The Mermaid AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE (by Frederick Morris Warren) Twelfth Century 'Tis of Aucassin and Nicolette JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 1780-1851 A Dangerous Adventure ('The American Ornithological Biography') BERTHOLD AUERBACH 1812-1882 The First Mass ('Ivo the Gentleman') The Peasant-Nurse and the Prince ('On the Heights') FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS VOLUME II. * * * * * PAGE The Public Domain Archive Bible (Colored Plate) Frontispiece Lyly's "Euphues" (Fac-simile) 485 Hans Christian Andersen (Portrait) 500 "Haroun al Raschid" (Photogravure) 622 Dominique François Arago (Portrait) 704 Ludovico Ariosto (Portrait) 742 Aristotle (Portrait) 788 Matthew Arnold (Portrait) 844 "Lancelot Bids Adieu to Elaine" (Photogravure) 890 John James Audubon (Portrait) 956 VIGNETTE PORTRAITS Anacreon Aristophenes Lucius Apuleius Ernst Moritz Arndt Thomas Aquinas Roger Ascham John Arbuthnot Berthold Auerbach _EUPHUES._. Reduced facsimile of title-page of the "Euphues" of John Lyly. The Colophon reads: Imprinted at London by Thomas East, for Gabriel Cawood dwelling in Panics Church yard. 1581. This is a good example of the quaint title-pages of the books of the early printers; showing the old-fashioned border, the true "old-style" type, the ancient form of the S, the V, and the U, and the now obsolete spelling of several words. _EVPHVES._ THE ANATOMY OF WIT. Verie pleasaunt for all Gentlemen to read, and most necessarie to remember. wherein are contained the delightes that Wit followeth in his youth by the pleasantnesse of love, & the happinesse he reapeth in age, by the perfectnesse of Wisedome. By John Lyly Master of Art. Corrected and augmented. Imprinted at London for Gabriel Cawood dwelling in Paules. Church-yard. (Continued from Volume I) to the storms of air and sea; and while the soul of Mozart seems to dwell on the ethereal peaks of Olympus, that of Beethoven climbs shuddering the storm-beaten sides of a Sinai. Blessed be they both! Each represents a moment of the ideal life, each does us good. Our love is due to both. Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us. Humanity only begins for man with self-surrender. * * * * * MAY 27TH, 1857.--Wagner's is a powerful mind endowed with strong poetical sensitiveness. His work is even more poetical than musical. The suppression of the lyrical element, and therefore of melody, is with him a systematic _parti pris._ No more duos or trios; monologue and the aria are alike done away with. There remains only declamation, the recitative, and the choruses. In order to avoid the conventional in singing, Wagner falls into another convention,--that of not singing at all. He subordinates the voice to articulate speech, and for fear lest the muse should take flight he clips her wings; so that his works are rather symphonic dramas than operas. The voice is brought down to the rank of an instrument, put on a level with the violins, the hautboys, and the drums, and treated instrumentally. Man is deposed from his superior position, and the centre of gravity of the work passes into the baton of the conductor. It is music depersonalized,--neo-Hegelian music,--music multiple instead of individual. If this is so, it is indeed the music of the future,--the music of the socialist democracy replacing the art which is aristocratic, heroic, or subjective. * * * * * DECEMBER 4TH, 1863.--The whole secret of remaining young in spite of years, and even of...

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This book doesn't have a plot in the traditional sense. Instead, imagine walking into a grand, old library where someone has pulled the most interesting books off the shelves and left them open on a giant table for you. Volume 02 is a collection of excerpts and short works, a sampler platter of global literature. You'll jump from country to country and century to century with each page turn. One moment you're reading a philosophical piece from ancient Rome, and the next, you might be in the middle of a poem from 19th-century France. The editors, Charles Dudley Warner and his team, were on a mission to showcase what they believed was the pinnacle of human writing.

Why You Should Read It

I love this book because it removes the pressure. You don't have to commit to a 500-page epic. You can dip in for ten minutes and travel the literary world. It's a reminder of how many incredible voices have existed. Sure, the selection shows its age—it reflects the perspectives and blind spots of the 1890s—but that's part of what makes it interesting. It's a conversation starter. Reading it feels like being part of a huge, ongoing discussion about what makes writing great, a discussion that started long before us and will continue long after.

Final Verdict

This is perfect for the curious reader who loves to explore. If you're a history fan, a literature student, or just someone who enjoys opening a book to a random page and discovering something completely new, you'll get a kick out of this. It's not a page-turner with a cliffhanger, but it is a deeply rewarding and endlessly fascinating treasure chest. Think of it as the original 'greatest hits' album for the written word.

✅ Copyright Status

Legal analysis indicates this work is in the public domain. It serves as a testament to our shared literary heritage.