1840 - 1807: "Jerusalem" to The Columbiad

Chronology of World, British and American Literature

William Blake. British. 1804. Poetry. “Jerusalem.” Theory that the world of imagination is the world of eternity after death.

Sir Walter Scott. British. 1805. Narrative Poetry. “The Lay of the Last Minstrel.” Lady Margaret and Baron Henry love each other, but a feud between their families is a problem. Features the martial prowess and the amorous success of the Baron.

William Wordsworth. British. 1807. Poetry. “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood.” Learning is the recollection of knowledge gained in the pre-existent spiritual realm and lost to the individual at birth. The child retains some “trailing clouds of glory.”

William Wordsworth. British. 1807. Poetry. “The Daffodils.” Appreciation of an object of nature for its own sake.

Joel Barlow. American. 1807. Epic Poetry. The Columbiad. Columbus foresees the future of the North American continent.