Theory and method in the work of Samuel Rawson Gardiner
Samuel Rawson Gardiner (1829-1902) has traditionally been viewed as a quintessential late Victorian historian. His subject was politics, his methods consisted of empirical research in the archives, he wrote the kind of dry narratives being propounded in the newly professionalised discipline, and his account of the past was coloured by his religious and political biases. Such characterisations are, however, very wide of the mark. They have been constructed from the study of the context of his life. Through a close reading of the full range of his texts, it is possible to deconstruct this dominant image and put in its place a very different account of his thought, his methods and his writing. Gardiner was influenced by German Idealist philosophy, and as a result his interests lay in intellectual currents, his methods of analysis rested on the Fichtean dialectical method coupled with a dedication to insights derived from empathy and the imagination, and he understood the power of literary representation.
Nixon, Mark
Historians England ; Gardiner, Samuel Rawson 1829-1902
Theory and method in the work of Samuel Rawson Gardiner. Samuel Rawson Gardiner (1829-1902) has traditionally been viewed as a quintessential late Victorian historian. His subject was politics, his methods consisted of empirical research in the archives, he wrote the kind of dry narratives being propounded in the newly professionalised discipline, and his account of the past was coloured by his religious and political biases. Such characterisations are, however, very wide of the mark. They have been constructed from the study of the context of his life. Through a close reading of the full range of his texts, it is possible to deconstruct this dominant image and put in its place a very different account of his thought, his methods and his writing. Gardiner was influenced by German Idealist philosophy, and as a result his interests lay in intellectual currents, his methods of analysis rested on the Fichtean dialectical method coupled with a dedication to insights derived from empathy and the imagination, and he understood the power of literary representation.
theory_method work traditionally view quintessential late_victorian historian subject politics method_consist empirical archive write kind dry narrative propound newly professionalise discipline account past colour religious_political bias characterisation however wide mark construct study context life close_read full_range text possible deconstruct dominant image put place different account think method write influenced german idealist philosophy interest lay intellectual current method analysis rest dialectical method couple dedication insight derive empathy imagination understood power literary_representation