Summary:
"The First Printed Translations into English of the Great Foreign Classics" by William J. Harris is a bibliographic work written in the early 20th century. The book aims to assist students and scholars by compiling a list of the first English translations of seminal foreign literary works, highlighting their significance in shaping English literature. At the start of this bibliography, the author outlines its purpose and structure, emphasizing that it serves as a supplementary resource for those studying English literature and bibliography. Harris expresses the difficulty students face in tracking the influences of foreign classics on English writing and intends to provide a concise reference that lists authors, titles, translations, and dates. The opening section sets the stage for a detailed dictionary-style arrangement of notable translations, making it easier for researchers to understand the impact of these classic texts on the development of English literary traditions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)