Distinctive Features of Anglo-Saxon Prose

Distinctive features of Anglo-Saxon prose go way back into history. Many believe that the Anglo-Saxon invaders of Britain brought with them their old poetry; however, there is no evidence of them having possessed any literary prose tradition.  Therefore, the development of Old English prose does not go back to the earlier Germanic origin, as poetry … Read more

Impression of Sir Roger De Coverley As Gathered from “The Coverley Papers”

Sir Roger De Coverley appears in about 35 essays out of 555 published essays in the Spectator. Joseph Addison, who cofounded the Spectator with Richard Steele, described several characters in these essays, but his most significant character is Sir Roger De Coverley. Papers that cover Sir Roger De Coverley are known as The Coverley Papers. The essays in … Read more

Burke’s Knowledge of America in His Speech on “Conciliation with America”

Edmund Burke has delivered two brilliant speeches on the American issues- the first one on Taxation and the second one on Reconciliation with America. The magnificent paragraphs in the speech on conciliation are devoted to the Americans. It consisted of their numbers, their enterprises, their spirits, and the sources from which it is sustained, are … Read more

Political Wisdom in Edmund Burke’s Speech on “Conciliation with America”

In the “Speech on Conciliation with America,” Burke’s mind and art are soaring high. In his in-depth and magnificent pleading, Burke’s wisdom as a practical and magnanimous politician prevails. Endowed with rare farsightedness, he could foretell what was going to happen in America, and his power to study the situation enabled him without any doubt … Read more

Probing Addison’s Prose Style

Addison is ranked among the great prose writers in English literature. His distinctive prose style adds up to his literary credit. His style consists of clarity, lucidity, and naturalness.  Addison does not try to produce effects by straining. It comes to him spontaneously because he has mastery of language is effortless. No pretentiousness, affectation, pompousness, … Read more