ENGLISH
LITERATURE AND SOCIETY
IN THE
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
FORD LECTURES, 1903
By LESLIE STEPHEN
LONDON
DUCKWORTH and CO.
3 HENRIETTA STREET, W.C.
1904
CONTENTS
- TO HERBERT FISHER
- PUBLISHERS' NOTE
- I.
- II.
- III.
- (1714-1739)
- IV.
- (1739-1763)
- V.
- (1763-1788)
TO HERBERT FISHER
NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD
My Dear Herbert,—I had prepared these Lectures for delivery, when aserious breakdown of health made it utterly impossible for me to appearin person. The University was then good enough to allow me to employ adeputy; and you kindly undertook to read the Lectures for me. I haveevery reason to believe that they lost nothing by the change.
I need only explain that, although they had to be read in six sections,and are here divided into five chapters, no other change worth noticinghas been made. Other changes probably ought to have been made, but myhealth has been unequal to the task of serious correction. Thepublication has been delayed from the same cause.
Meanwhile, I wish to express my gratitude for your services. I doubt,[Pg vi]too, whether I should have ventured to republish them, had it not beenfor your assertion that they have some interest. I would adopt the goodold form of dedicating them to you, were it not that I can find noprecedent for a dedication by an uncle to a nephew—uncles having, Ifancy, certain opinions as to the light in which they are generallyregarded by nephews. I will not say what that is, nor mention anotherreason which has its weight. I will only say that, though this is not adedication, it is meant to express a very warm sense of gratitude due toyou upon many grounds.
—Your affectionate
LESLIE STEPHEN.
November 1903.
PUBLISHERS' NOTE
Owing to the ill-health of Sir Leslie Stephen the proofs have beenpassed for press by Mr. H. Fisher, Fellow of New College, who read theLectures at Oxford on behalf of the Author.
ENGLISH LITERATURE AND SOCIETY IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
I
When I was honoured by the invitation to deliver this course oflectures, I did not accept without some hesitation. I am not qualifiedto speak with authority upon such subjects as have been treated by mypredecessors—the course of political events or the growth of legalinstitutions. My attention has been chiefly paid to the history ofliterature, and it might be doubtful whether that study is properlyincluded in the phrase 'historical.' Yet literature expresses men'sthoughts and passions, which have, after all, a considerable influenceupon their lives. The writer of a people's songs, as we are told, mayeven have a more powerful influence than the maker of their laws. He[Pg 2]certainly reveals more directly the true springs of popular ac