John Bartlett's timeless collection of quotations from many of the finest luminaries of English prose and poetry are presented here. The book begins with a presentation of the King James Bible, beginning with the Old Testament. Many of the most inspiring and memorable verses from across the Biblical canon are present. This is followed by the New Testament, with a number of the most evocative and spiritually rich gospel quotations listed. After the Bible comes Shakespeare's plays - listing each play in turn, Bartlett presents the finest lines from each. The great wisdom and expression for which William Shakespeare is renowned finds ample demonstration, with tragedies such as Macbeth and comedies such as Twelfth Night among the plays Bartlett draws upon.