Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Author names not noted above: Jean Racine, Molire, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Friedrich von Schiller Originally published between 1909 and 1917 under the name "Harvard Classics," this stupendous 51-volume set-a collection of the greatest writings from literature, philosophy, history, and mythology-was assembled by American academic CHARLES WILLIAM ELIOT (1834-1926), Harvard University's longest-serving president. Also known as "Dr. Eliot's Five Foot Shelf," it represented Eliot's belief that a basic liberal education could be gleaned by reading from an anthology of works that could fit on five feet of bookshelf. Volume XXVI features the six 17th- and 18th-century plays that have most influenced Western European literature and culture: Life Is a Dream, by Spanish dramatist PEDRO CALDERN DE LA BARCA (1600-1681), his 1635 allegory debating free will and fate Polyeucte, by French playwright and father of French tragedy PIERRE CORNEILLE (1606-1684), his 1642 drama based on the life of the martyr Saint Polyeuctus Phdre, by French dramatist JEAN RACINE (1639-1699), his 1677 tragedy from Greek mythology Tartuffe, by the French comic master Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), aka MOLIRE, his 1664 masterpiece about hypocrisy Minna von Barnhelm, by German playwright GOTTHOLD EPHRAIM LESSING (1729-1781), a groundbreaking comedy Wilhelm Tell, by German author FRIEDRICH VON SCHILLER (1759-1805), a tragedy of the Swiss fight for independence in the 14th century.