Among My Books First Series   By: James Russell Lowell (1819-1891)

Among My Books First Series by James Russell Lowell is a delightful collection of essays that explore a wide range of literary topics. Lowell's writing is both insightful and engaging, making each essay a pleasure to read. From Shakespeare to Dante to Emerson, Lowell covers a diverse array of authors and works, providing valuable analysis and commentary along the way. His love for literature shines through in every page, making this book a must-read for any book lover or student of literature. Overall, Among My Books First Series is a captivating and enriching read that will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the written word.

First Page:

Benvenuto Cellini tells us that when, in his boyhood, he saw a salamander come out of the fire, his grandfather forthwith gave him a sound beating, that he might the better remember so unique a prodigy. Though perhaps in this case the rod had another application than the autobiographer chooses to disclose, and was intended to fix in the pupil's mind a lesson of veracity rather than of science, the testimony to its mnemonic virtue remains. Nay, so universally was it once believed that the senses, and through them the faculties of observation and retention, were quickened by an irritation of the cuticle, that in France it was customary to whip the children annually at the boundaries of the parish, lest the true place of them might ever be lost through neglect of so inexpensive a mordant for the memory... Continue reading book >>