British Criticism of American Literature 1844-1860 as Reflected in Littell\u27s Living Age

In reviewing sixty-seven volumes, ranging from six hundred and twenty to eight hundred and twenty-five pages, of Littell\u27s Living Age, which extracts verbatim from British periodicals and newspaper, and in reading various works of American and British authors, literatures, histories of the period involved, and early magazines and periodicals, I have found material pertaining to the subject under discussion that would fill a good sized book. Therefore, having only limited time and space, I shall give the opinions of British periodicals and newspapers that are to be found in Littell\u27s Living Age. In writing this thesis I shall try to give an unbiased comment on adverse as well as favorable criticism of American writers. It is rare that British critics in the nineteenth century are free from national or personal reactions preventing an objective view of the merits of another literature in the English language. In the treatment of the subject, a short history of the early American magazine will be given, and some comments on the importance of magazines and periodical literature...A short history of Littell\u27s Living Age is given to show that this magazine is enough authority to give a cross section of the opinions of British Critics. Then a short discussion of the importance and history of the British periodicals used in Littell\u27s will be given to show that they were the outstanding periodicals of their day, and that they represent the general British opinion