Lord Monboddo's Of the origin and progress of language : its sources, genesis and background, with special attention to the Advocates' Library
LORDM ONBODDOO'SF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESOSF LANGUAGE: ITS SOURCESG, ENESISA ND BACKGROUNWD,I TH SPECIAL ATTENTIONT O THE ADVOCATESL' IBRARY This thesis examines the sources and early development of Lord Monboddo's Of the Origin and Progress of Language (6 volumes, 1773-1792) against its contemporary intellectual background in order to gain a fuller understanding of the aims and significance of the work in the context of its time. The thesis is particularly concerned with Monboddo's wide use of the holdings of the Advocates' Library and the influence on him of the sixteenth century humanist tradition of Scottish jurisprudence associated with its foundation. The thesis concentrates on the first two volumes of OPL, which deal with the natural history of language and universal grammar, because they contain the essence of Monboddo's views on language. However, rhetoric (the subject of the remaining four volumes) is essential to the background and is therefore dealt with in a general way. It is argued that Monboddo's main purpose was to offer a solution to the linguistic, cultural and philosophical problems confronting Scotland after the Union; and that his solutioninvolved restoring the Scottish Enlightenment to
Hammett, I. M.
Lord Monboddo's Of the origin and progress of language : its sources, genesis and background, with special attention to the Advocates' Library. LORDM ONBODDOO'SF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESOSF LANGUAGE: ITS SOURCESG, ENESISA ND BACKGROUNWD,I TH SPECIAL ATTENTIONT O THE ADVOCATESL' IBRARY This thesis examines the sources and early development of Lord Monboddo's Of the Origin and Progress of Language (6 volumes, 1773-1792) against its contemporary intellectual background in order to gain a fuller understanding of the aims and significance of the work in the context of its time. The thesis is particularly concerned with Monboddo's wide use of the holdings of the Advocates' Library and the influence on him of the sixteenth century humanist tradition of Scottish jurisprudence associated with its foundation. The thesis concentrates on the first two volumes of OPL, which deal with the natural history of language and universal grammar, because they contain the essence of Monboddo's views on language. However, rhetoric (the subject of the remaining four volumes) is essential to the background and is therefore dealt with in a general way. It is argued that Monboddo's main purpose was to offer a solution to the linguistic, cultural and philosophical problems confronting Scotland after the Union; and that his solutioninvolved restoring the Scottish Enlightenment to
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