Project Gutenberg 2005-05-01 Public domain in the USA. 275 Curtis, George William 1824 1892 Literary and Social Essays Emerson -- Hawthorne -- The works of Nathaniel Hawthorne -- Rachel -- Thackeray in America -- Sir Philip Sidney -- Longfellow -- Oliver Wendell Holmes -- Washington Irving. Text file produced by Eric Eldred, Marc D'Hooghe, Charles Franks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team HTML file produced by David Widger "Literary and Social Essays" by George William Curtis is a collection of essays written during the mid-19th century. The book explores various literary figures and social themes, likely reflecting Curtis's insights on American literature and society during a time when the United States was experiencing significant cultural and political change. The opening of this collection sets the stage with a reflection on Concord, Massachusetts, and its famed authors, particularly Ralph Waldo Emerson. Curtis paints a vivid picture of Concord's tranquil landscape, emphasizing the relationship between nature, literature, and the lives of notable writers who resided there, such as Hawthorne and Emerson himself. It provides an intimate glimpse into the serene environment that influenced their works, while also hinting at the historical significance of the town, notably the events of the Revolutionary War. The mix of rich description and philosophical musings invites readers to ponder the interconnectedness of place, identity, and creativity, setting a contemplative tone for the essays that follow. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 62.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en American literature -- 19th century -- History and criticism English literature -- History and criticism Literature and society -- English-speaking countries PS Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: American Literature 419714 2025-08-04T04:39:09.486782 text/html 419176 2013-05-27T17:07:56 text/html 234643 2025-08-04T04:39:16.738710 application/epub+zip 244279 2025-08-04T04:39:12.366727 application/epub+zip 231675 2025-08-04T04:39:11.221733 application/epub+zip 392372 2025-08-04T04:39:20.124720 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 372609 2025-08-04T04:39:15.940755 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 341211 2022-09-04T08:54:11.517916 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 376125 2025-08-04T04:39:08.961745 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 375910 2013-05-27T17:09:00 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 375902 2013-05-27T17:08:50 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 20757 2025-08-04T04:39:20.254695 application/rdf+xml 11379 2025-08-04T04:39:11.712734 image/jpeg 2935 2025-08-04T04:39:11.465741 image/jpeg 147950 2013-05-27T17:09:26 application/octet-stream application/zip 153323 2013-05-27T17:09:26 application/octet-stream application/zip 147903 2013-05-27T17:09:26 application/octet-stream application/zip 232127 2025-08-04T04:39:09.519772 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia