Philosophic historiography in the eighteenth century in Britain and France
The subject of this thesis is the by now traditional grouping of certain innovative works of historiography produced in eighteenth-century Britain and France; namely the historical works of Voltaire, and the historical writings of the philosophes; and, in Britain, the histories of Hume, Robertson, and Gibbon. This thesis gives a historical and expository analysis of the individual strategies of literary self-fashioning and generic appropriation which underlie this impression of resemblance. It particularly demonstrates that the major characteristics of the contemporary vision of philosophic historiography â the idea of a European history of manners or lâesprit humain, and the insistence on the rejection of the practices of the Ă©rudits â which have become incorporated within scholarly definitions of âEnlightenment historiographyâ, are well-established generic tropes, adapted and affected in France as in Britain, by authors of diverse ambitions. The invitation to assume inauthentic connections contained within the practice of philosophic historiography is shown to be embraced by Gibbon, in a notable literary challenge to the paradigms of intellectual history. This study contrasts the textual evidence
Brereton, Mary Catherine
English Language and Literature ; Early modern English literature (1550 ? 1780) ; Eighteenth-Century Britain and Europe ; Intellectual History ; Literatures of Romance languages ; Enlightenment ; historiography ; Gibbon ; Voltaire ; Hume ; Robertson ; Warburton ; Shelley ; Volney ; Diderot
Philosophic historiography in the eighteenth century in Britain and France. The subject of this thesis is the by now traditional grouping of certain innovative works of historiography produced in eighteenth-century Britain and France; namely the historical works of Voltaire, and the historical writings of the philosophes; and, in Britain, the histories of Hume, Robertson, and Gibbon. This thesis gives a historical and expository analysis of the individual strategies of literary self-fashioning and generic appropriation which underlie this impression of resemblance. It particularly demonstrates that the major characteristics of the contemporary vision of philosophic historiography â the idea of a European history of manners or lâesprit humain, and the insistence on the rejection of the practices of the Ă©rudits â which have become incorporated within scholarly definitions of âEnlightenment historiographyâ, are well-established generic tropes, adapted and affected in France as in Britain, by authors of diverse ambitions. The invitation to assume inauthentic connections contained within the practice of philosophic historiography is shown to be embraced by Gibbon, in a notable literary challenge to the paradigms of intellectual history. This study contrasts the textual evidence
philosophic historiography britain_france subject traditional grouping certain innovative work historiography produce eighteenth_century britain_france namely historical_work voltaire historical_writing britain histories hume robertson give historical expository analysis individual strategy literary self generic appropriation underlie impression resemblance particularly demonstrate major characteristic contemporary vision philosophic historiography idea european history manner insistence rejection practice become incorporated within scholarly definition enlightenment historiography well_established generic trope adapt affected france_britain author diverse ambition assume connection contain_within practice philosophic historiography show notable literary challenge paradigm intellectual_history study contrast textual_evidence