Curiosities of Literature (Vol. 1-3) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Complete EditionBy Isaac Disraeli
Length72h 42m
About this audiobook
Curiosities of Literature (Vol. 1–3) is a capacious treasury of literary anecdote, intellectual history, and bibliographical reflection, ranging from neglected authors and eccentric scholars to the habits, misfortunes, quarrels, and triumphs of the republic of letters. Written in an elegant, digressive essay style, it belongs to the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century culture of learned miscellany, where erudition is made sociable and archival oddity becomes a means of understanding literary civilization. Isaac Disraeli, an English man of letters born into a Sephardic Jewish family, devoted his life to reading, collecting, and interpreting books. Father of the statesman Benjamin Disraeli, he was himself a serious literary historian whose private scholarship and love of libraries shaped his vision of authorship. His sensitivity to exclusion, reputation, and the precarious lives of writers informs the humane curiosity that animates these volumes. This work is warmly recommended to readers interested in the hidden life of literature: its forgotten controversies, marginal figures, and revealing peculiarities. Scholars, bibliophiles, and general readers alike will find in Disraeli a guide who transforms learned fragments into enduring cultural insight.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions.
- A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation.
- A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists.
- A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work's strengths.
- Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author's overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts.
- Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection's central themes.
Audiobook details
GenreLiterary Classics
Length72 hrs 42 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateJan 28, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
122MAGLIABECHI.
2Introduction
123ABRIDGERS.
3Historical Context
124PROFESSORS OF PLAGIARISM AND OBSCURITY.
4Synopsis (Selection)
125LITERARY DUTCH.
5VOLUME 1
126THE PRODUCTIONS OF THE MIND NOT SEIZABLE BY CREDITORS.
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6ON THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF MR. DISRAELI.
127CRITICS.
7PREFACE.
128ANECDOTES OF CENSURED AUTHORS.
8LIBRARIES.
129VIRGINITY.
9THE BIBLIOMANIA.
130A GLANCE INTO THE FRENCH ACADEMY.
10LITERARY JOURNALS.
131POETICAL AND GRAMMATICAL DEATHS.
11RECOVERY OF MANUSCRIPTS.
132SCARRON.
12SKETCHES OF CRITICISM.
133PETER CORNEILLE.
13THE PERSECUTED LEARNED.
134POETS.
14POVERTY OF THE LEARNED.
135ROMANCES.
15IMPRISONMENT OF THE LEARNED.
136THE ASTREA.
16AMUSEMENTS OF THE LEARNED.
137POETS LAUREAT.
17PORTRAITS OF AUTHORS.
138ANGELO POLITIAN.
18DESTRUCTION OF BOOKS.
139ORIGINAL LETTER OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.
19SOME NOTICES OF LOST WORKS.
140ANNE BULLEN.
20QUODLIBETS, OR SCHOLASTIC DISQUISITIONS.
141JAMES THE FIRST.
21FAME CONTEMNED.
142GENERAL MONK AND HIS WIFE.
22THE SIX FOLLIES OF SCIENCE.
143PHILIP AND MARY.
23IMITATORS.
144VOLUME 2
24CICERO'S PUNS.
145CHARLES THE FIRST.
25PREFACES.
146DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
26EARLY PRINTING.
147THE DEATH OF CHARLES IX.
27ERRATA.
148ROYAL PROMOTIONS.
28PATRONS.
149NOBILITY.
29POETS, PHILOSOPHERS, AND ARTISTS, MADE BY ACCIDENT.
150MODES OF SALUTATION, AND AMICABLE CEREMONIES, OBSERVED IN VARIOUS NATIONS.
30INEQUALITIES OF GENIUS.
151FIRE, AND THE ORIGIN OF FIREWORKS.
31GEOGRAPHICAL STYLE.
152THE BIBLE PROHIBITED AND IMPROVED.
32LEGENDS.
153ORIGIN OF THE MATERIALS OF WRITING.
33THE PORT-ROYAL SOCIETY.
154ANECDOTES OF EUROPEAN MANNERS.
34THE PROGRESS OF OLD AGE IN NEW STUDIES.
155THE EARLY DRAMA.
35SPANISH POETRY.
156THE MARRIAGE OF THE ARTS.
36SAINT EVREMOND.
157A CONTRIVANCE IN DRAMATIC DIALOGUE.
37MEN OF GENIUS DEFICIENT IN CONVERSATION.
158THE COMEDY OF A MADMAN.
38VIDA.
159SOLITUDE.
39THE SCUDERIES.
160LITERARY FRIENDSHIPS.
40DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT.
161ANECDOTES OF ABSTRACTION OF MIND.
41PRIOR'S HANS CARVEL.
162RICHARDSON.
42THE STUDENT IN THE METROPOLIS.
163INFLUENCE OF A NAME.
43THE TALMUD.
164THE JEWS OF YORK.
44RABBINICAL STORIES.
165THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEAS.
45ON THE CUSTOM OF SALUTING AFTER SNEEZING.
166ON THE CUSTOM OF KISSING HANDS.
46BONAVENTURE DE PERIERS.
167POPES.
47GROTIUS.
168LITERARY COMPOSITION.
48NOBLEMEN TURNED CRITICS.
169POETICAL IMITATIONS AND SIMILARITIES.
49LITERARY IMPOSTURES.
170EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILE.
50CARDINAL RICHELIEU.
171LITERARY FASHIONS.
51ARISTOTLE AND PLATO.
172THE PANTOMIMICAL CHARACTERS.
52ABELARD AND ELOISA.
173EXTEMPORAL COMEDIES.
53PHYSIOGNOMY.
174MASSINGER, MILTON, AND THE ITALIAN THEATRE.
54CHARACTERS DESCRIBED BY MUSICAL NOTES.
175SONGS OF TRADES, OR SONGS FOR THE PEOPLE.
55MILTON.
176INTRODUCERS OF EXOTIC FLOWERS, FRUITS, ETC.
56ORIGIN OF NEWSPAPERS.
177USURERS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
57TRIALS AND PROOFS OF GUILT IN SUPERSTITIOUS AGES.
178CHIDIOCK TITCHBOURNE.
58THE INQUISITION.
179ELIZABETH AND HER PARLIAMENT.
59SINGULARITIES OBSERVED BY VARIOUS NATIONS IN THEIR REPASTS.
180ANECDOTES OF PRINCE HENRY, THE SON OF JAMES I., WHEN A CHILD.
60MONARCHS.
181THE DIARY OF A MASTER OF THE CEREMONIES.
61OF THE TITLES OF ILLUSTRIOUS, HIGHNESS, AND EXCELLENCE.
182DIARIES—MORAL, HISTORICAL, AND CRITICAL.
62TITLES OF SOVEREIGNS.
183LICENSERS OF THE PRESS.
63ROYAL DIVINITIES.
184OF ANAGRAMS AND ECHO VERSES.
64DETHRONED MONARCHS
185ORTHOGRAPHY OF PROPER NAMES.
65FEUDAL CUSTOMS.
186NAMES OF OUR STREETS.
66GAMING.
187SECRET HISTORY OF EDWARD VERE, EARL OF OXFORD.
67THE ARABIC CHRONICLE.
188ANCIENT COOKERY, AND COOKS.
68METEMPSYCHOSIS.
189ANCIENT AND MODERN SATURNALIA.
69SPANISH ETIQUETTE.
190RELIQUIÆ GETHINIANÆ.
70THE GOTHS AND HUNS.
191ROBINSON CRUSOE.
71VICARS OF BRAY.
192CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT DRAMAS.
72DOUGLAS.
193THE HISTORY OF THE THEATRE DURING ITS SUPPRESSION.
73CRITICAL HISTORY OF POVERTY.
194DRINKING-CUSTOMS IN ENGLAND.
74SOLOMON AND SHEBA.
195LITERARY ANECDOTES.
75HELL.
196CONDEMNED POETS.
76THE ABSENT MAN.
197ACAJOU AND ZIRPHILE.
77PASQUIN AND MARFORIO.
198TOM O' BEDLAMS.
78FEMALE BEAUTY AND ORNAMENTS.
199INTRODUCTION OF TEA, COFFEE, AND CHOCOLATE.
79MODERN PLATONISM.
200CHARLES THE FIRST'S LOVE OF THE FINE ARTS.
80ANECDOTES OF FASHION.
201SECRET HISTORY OF CHARLES THE FIRST, AND HIS QUEEN HENRIETTA.
81A SENATE OF JESUITS.
202THE MINISTER—THE CARDINAL DUKE OF RICHELIEU.
82THE LOVER'S HEART.
203THE MINISTER—DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, LORD ADMIRAL, LORD GENERAL, &c. &c. &c.
83THE HISTORY OF GLOVES.
204FELTON, THE POLITICAL ASSASSIN.
84RELICS OF SAINTS.
205JOHNSON'S HINTS FOR THE LIFE OF POPE.
85PERPETUAL LAMPS OF THE ANCIENTS.
206MODERN LITERATURE—BAYLE'S CRITICAL DICTIONARY
86NATURAL PRODUCTIONS RESEMBLING ARTIFICIAL COMPOSITIONS.
207CHARACTERISTICS OF BAYLE.
87THE POETICAL GARLAND OF JULIA.
208CICERO VIEWED AS A COLLECTOR.
88TRAGIC ACTORS.
209THE HISTORY OF THE CARACCI.
89JOCULAR PREACHERS.
210AN ENGLISH ACADEMY OF LITERATURE.274
90MASTERLY IMITATORS.
211QUOTATION.
91EDWARD THE FOURTH.
212THE ORIGIN OF DANTE'S INFERNO.
92ELIZABETH.
213OF A HISTORY OF EVENTS WHICH HAVE NOT HAPPENED.
93THE CHINESE LANGUAGE.
214OF FALSE POLITICAL REPORTS.
94MEDICAL MUSIC.
215OF SUPPRESSORS AND DILAPIDATORS OF MANUSCRIPTS.
95MINUTE WRITING.
216PARODIES.
96NUMERICAL FIGURES.
217ANECDOTES OF THE FAIRFAX FAMILY.
97ENGLISH ASTROLOGERS.
218MEDICINE AND MORALS.
98ALCHYMY.
219PSALM-SINGING.
99TITLES OF BOOKS.
220ON THE RIDICULOUS TITLES ASSUMED BY ITALIAN ACADEMIES.
100LITERARY FOLLIES.
221ON THE HERO OF HUDIBRAS; BUTLER VINDICATED.
101LITERARY CONTROVERSY.
222SHENSTONE'S SCHOOL-MISTRESS.
102LITERARY BLUNDERS.
223BEN JONSON ON TRANSLATION.
103A LITERARY WIFE.
224THE LOVES OF "THE LADY ARABELLA."322
104DEDICATIONS.
225DOMESTIC HISTORY OF SIR EDWARD COKE.
105PHILOSOPHICAL DESCRIPTIVE POEMS.
226OF COKE'S STYLE, AND HIS CONDUCT.
106PAMPHLETS.
227SECRET HISTORY OF AUTHORS WHO HAVE RUINED THEIR BOOKSELLERS. (pt. 1)
107LITTLE BOOKS.
228SECRET HISTORY OF AUTHORS WHO HAVE RUINED THEIR BOOKSELLERS. (pt. 2)
108A CATHOLIC'S REFUTATION.
229VOLUME 3
109THE GOOD ADVICE OF AN OLD LITERARY SINNER.
230Table of Contents (pt. 1)
110MYSTERIES, MORALITIES, FARCES, AND SOTTIES.
231Table of Contents (pt. 2)
111LOVE AND FOLLY, AN ANCIENT MORALITY.
232Table of Contents (pt. 3)
112RELIGIOUS NOUVELLETTES.
233Table of Contents (pt. 4)
113"CRITICAL SAGACITY," AND "HAPPY CONJECTURE;" OR, BENTLEY'S MILTON.
234Table of Contents (pt. 5)
114A JANSENIST DICTIONARY.
235Table of Contents (pt. 6)
115MANUSCRIPTS AND BOOKS.
236Table of Contents (pt. 7)
116THE TURKISH SPY.
237Table of Contents (pt. 8)
117SPENSER, JONSON, AND SHAKSPEARE.
238Table of Contents (pt. 9)
118BEN JONSON, FELTHAM, AND RANDOLPH.
239Table of Contents (pt. 10)
119ARIOSTO AND TASSO.
240Analysis
120BAYLE.
241Reflection
121CERVANTES.
242Memorable Quotes
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