Of Essays and Reading in Early Modern Britain (Palgrave Studies in the Enlightenment, Romanticism and the Cultures of Print)

Of Essays and Reading in Early Modern Britain traces the co-evolution of the essay and the mode of literacy it enabled. Focusing on the interactive processes of reading captured by the form, Of Essays offers a new approach to early modern textuality. It shows how the genre served to record, test and disseminate the readerly skills required by a developing print culture, and how the essay was adopted as a mechanism of natural science, the public sphere, and the novel. Of Essays And Reading In Early Modern Britain Traces The Co-evolution Of The Essay And The Mode Of Literacy It Enabled. Focusing On The Interactive Processes Of Reading Registered By The Form, Of Essays Offers A New Approach To Early Modern Textuality. It Shows How The Genre Served To Record, Test And Disseminate The Skills Required In A Culture Increasingly Mediated By Print. Presenting Print Culture As An Ecosystem Of Interacting Readers And Readings, Of Essays Explores The Way Humanist Reading Practices Were Adapted For New Purposes. Essays And Their Distinctive Mode Of Digestive And Adaptive Reading Developed Out Of The Mode Of Essayistic Literacy Was Adopted By Boyle For His Reformed Experimental Natural Philosophy, By Addison And Steele For Their Social And Sociable Periodical, The Spectator, And By Fielding For His Self-reflexive Novel, Tom Jones.--book Jacket. Of Essays -- Draughts Of Reading -- By Way Of Essays -- Essay Exapted -- Boyle's Essay -- Social And Literary Form In The Spectator -- Fleeting Habitations In Tom Jones -- Appendix A : Whitlock, From The Author To The Reader -- Appendix B : Cornwallis, Opening Of Of Essaies And Bookes (1601) -- Appendix C : Cornwallis On Moral Philosophy And Reading -- Appendix D : Culpepper, Of Essayes. Scott Black. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 178-189) And Index. Of Essays and Reading in Early Modern Britain traces the co-evolution of the essay and the mode of literacy it enabled. Focusing on the interactive processes of reading registered by the form, Of Essays offers a new approach to early modern textuality. It shows how the genre served to record, test and disseminate the skills required in a culture increasingly mediated by print. Presenting print culture as an eco-system of interacting readers and readings, Of Essays explores the way humanist reading practices were adapted for new purposes. Essays and their distinctive mode of digestive and adaptive reading developed out of the habits of keepng readerly journals and commonplace books. In turn, this mode of essayistic literacy was adopted by Boyle for his reformed experimental natural philosophy, by Addison's and Steele for their social and sociable periodical, the Spectator, and by Fielding for his self-reflexive novel, Tom Jones Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 Part 1 Of Essays......Page 24 1 Draughts of Reading......Page 26 2 By Way of Essays......Page 47 Part 2 Essay Exapted......Page 76 3 Boyle’s Essay......Page 78 4 Social and Literary Form in the Spectator......Page 97 5 Fleeting Habitations in Tom Jones......Page 118 Appendix A. Whitlock, from ‘The Author to the Reader’......Page 138 Appendix B. Cornwallis, opening of ‘Of Essaies and Bookes’ (1601)......Page 139 Appendix C. Cornwallis on Moral Philosophy and Reading......Page 140 Appendix D. Culpepper, ‘Of Essayes’......Page 143 Notes......Page 144 Bibliography......Page 189 Index......Page 201 This study focuses on the co-evolution of the essay and the mode of literacy it enabled, and the interactive processes of reading, with a new approach to early modern textuality. It shows how the genre served to record, test and disseminate the skills required; and how the essay was adopted as a mechanism by various intellectual disciplines.