Shaftesbury and the Culture of Politeness: Moral Discourse and Cultural Politics in Early Eighteenth-Century England
The third Earl of Shaftesbury was a pivotal figure in eighteenth-century thought and culture. Professor Klein's study is the first to examine the extensive Shaftesbury manuscripts and offer an interpretation of his diverse writings as an attempt to comprehend contemporary society and politics and, in particular, to offer a legitimation for the new Whig political order established after 1688. As the focus of Shaftesbury's thinking was the idea of politeness, this study involves the first serious examination of the importance of the idea of politeness in the eighteenth century for thinking about society and culture and organising cultural practices. Through politeness, Shaftesbury conceptualised a new kind of public and critical culture for Britain and Europe, and greatly influenced the philosophical and cultural models associated with the European Enlightenment.
|
Other editions - View all
|
Shaftesbury and the Culture of Politeness: Moral Discourse and Cultural ... Lawrence E. Klein No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
affections ancient Andrew Fletcher arts autonomy Benjamin Furley Cambridge University Press chapter character Characteristicks Church Cicero civic civil classical constituted conversation Country courtly critique dialogue discourse discussion divine Earl of Shaftesbury early modern egoism eighteenth century England English Epictetus Epicurean Epicurus Essay ethical expression French gentlemanly gentlemen Hobbes human ideas II.i II.ii III.i inner Inquiry Concerning Virtue institutions intellectual John John Dryden John Locke Jonathan Swift language Letter Concerning Design Letter Concerning Enthusiasm liberty literary Locke London manners Marcus Aurelius Michael Ainsworth Miscellaneous Reflections Miscellany Monarchy moral Moralists Moreover natural notebooks notion Oxford Palemon Parliament passage philosophy politeness refinement relation religion religious rhetoric Robertson Roman self-discourse Sensus Communis sermons seventeenth century Shaftes Shaftesbury to Benjamin Shaftesbury to Michael Shaftesbury wrote sociability society Socrates Soliloquy sort stoic third earl Tory tradition unsociable Voitle Walter Moyle Whichcote Whig Whiggism writing Xenophon