American Literature: An Historical Sketch, 1620-1880 is a book written by John Nichol and published in 1882. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the development of American literature from its origins in the early colonial period to the end of the 19th century. Nichol begins by examining the literature of the Puritans and the early settlers, and then moves on to discuss the literature of the Revolutionary period, including the works of Benjamin...