British classic essays

Author: Yang Ziwu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The prose and essays of China originated from France, drawing their style and name from Montaigne. Five years after Montaigne's death in 1597, Bacon named his collection of essays "Essays." Six years later, after the English translation of Montaigne's "Essays" by the Elizabethan scholar and lexicographer John Florio was published, the word "essay" took root in British soil, and it has borne rich fruit in every era. The golden age of British prose was in the 19th century, when its form and style underwent significant changes. Abraham Hyatt loved food culture, and most of his essays were biographical and critical in nature, but they no longer hold much interest for the general reader today. W.H. Hudson, who had specialized in the study of birds, still captivates readers with his writing charm. Writers like Richard Jefferies, who excelled in landscape writing, are rare in Britain. Immersed in that pastoral charm, one's mind naturally becomes tranquil. Additionally, there were essays on literature, philosophy, and politics. Compared to short, concise essays, these works carried a strong academic tone, and as their length increased and the number of anecdotes grew, they lost the carefree, observational spirit of strolling through the streets.