1 DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE, ss. Be it remembered, that on this 20th day of June, in the year 1827, and 51st year of American Independence, Wilkins Tannehill hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit: "Sketches of the History of Literature, from the earliest period to the revival of letters in the fifteenth century. Indocti discant ament meminisse periti. By Wilkins Tannehill." In conformity to an act of the Congress of the Uuited States, entitled, "an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing copies of maps, charts, and books, to the proprietors and authors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned;" and also the act, entitled, "an act supplementary to an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned, and extending the benefit thereof to designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." N. A. M'NAIRY, Clerk OLEN PREFACE. THE work now presented to the public is one of humble pretensions, and goes forth unprotected by the patronage of rich and powerful booksellers. Prepared during intervals of occasional leisure from the duties of an employment little congenial with literary pursuits, and without any opportunity for consulting extensive libraries, it aspires only to the character of sketches, without pretending to be a complete history. It is an attempt by a "backwoodsman" to condense and comprise within a narrow compass, the mest prominent and interesting events, connected with the progress of literary and scientific improvement, from the earliest period through a long succession of ages, and aniidst a great variety of circumstances. The author is well aware that, from the nature of things, its deficiencies must appear numerous and obvious to the scholar and man of extensive erudition. Many events, no doubt, have been more slightly noticed, than, from their importance, they deserved to be; and some, perhaps equally interesting, have been entirely overlooked. These remarks are made, not for the purpose of averting the arrows of criticism, to which every man who ventures to publish a book must expect to be exposed; but in order fairly to exhibit the true design of the work, and to point out the class of readers for whom it was specially intended. To those who have no opportunity for extensive reading, and who may wish to take a rapid, gen |