George Lillie Craik's classic history of English literature and language remains a seminal work in the field. Covering the period from the Norman Conquest to the mid-19th century, Craik's comprehensive survey traces the evolution of English literature from its earliest origins to the Victorian era. With its insightful analysis and engaging prose, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the English language and its literature. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.