Handbook of Universal Literature, From the Best and Latest Authorities — Context and Discussion

The Preface as a Map for Self-Education

Botta's preface frames the handbook as a personal project begun 'many years ago, as a literary exercise, to meet the personal requirements of the writer.' She addresses the common post-graduation dilemma: 'where to begin, what course of study to pursue.' The solution is a rapid survey of the entire field, arriving at details through a general view. This metaphor of a traveler without a guidebook recurs, and Botta claims to have embodied the results of a systematic course of study. The preface also notes that the literatures of different nations are 'so related, and have so influenced each other' that a survey of all is needed to comprehend any single work. This framing aligns with the catalog subject but emphasizes a practical, self-directed approach rather than scholarly criticism.

Molière and the Demolition of Comic Conventions

The longest excerpt details French comedy, focusing on Molière. Botta writes that before Molière, French comedy was 'the comedy of intrigue, borrowed from Spain, and turning on disguises, dark lanterns, and trap-doors.' Molière 'demolish[ed] all this childishness' with the Précieuses Ridicules, which satirized a coterie of women who 'pretended to the most exalted refinement.' Botta describes the précieuses' language as 'high-flown, pedantic gallantry' and notes that the play's success ended 'this bombastic nonsense.' She traces Molière's career, noting he 'resolved to study human nature more and Plautus and Terence less,' and characterizes his satire as having 'a falcon's eye for detecting vice and folly.' The account ends with his death during a performance of Malade Imaginaire, denied Christian burial but later honored with a bust in the Academy.

Condensation and Authority in the Handbook's Method

Botta's method of 'condens[ing] standard books' with 'no alterations except such as were required to give unity' is evident in the Molière passage, which reads as a synthesized biography and critical assessment. The text does not cite specific sources within the excerpt, but the preface lists 'LIST OF AUTHORITIES' in the contents. The treatment of La Fontaine similarly condenses: his fables are said to have 'subjects borrowed, the dress entirely new,' and his versification is praised as 'the result of an instinctive sense of harmony.' The handbook's tone is authoritative and evaluative, using phrases like 'the best of Molière's works are' and 'these are considered models of high comedy.' This approach matches the title's claim of drawing 'from the best and latest authorities,' though the excerpts do not reveal which authorities were used for the French section.

Readers approaching Botta's handbook should note that its coverage is uneven: the French section receives detailed treatment, while other literatures may be more condensed. The preface's promise of a 'rapid survey' is fulfilled, but the book's value lies in its synthesis rather than depth. For those studying 17th-century French drama, the Molière entry offers a compact narrative of his career and social context. The handbook is best used as a starting point, not a definitive source.

Lately I keep thinking about how Botta's old handbook tried to hold everything at once, the whole of literature condensed to fit a shelf. The World's Greatest Books — Volume 07 — Fiction — Background and Themes feels like a gentler cousin to that impulse, another generation's quiet attempt to keep the stories close. Both smell faintly of afternoon light and patient, solitary reading.