Other Augustan Prose Writers (NIVEL AVANZADO)

Other Augustan Prose Writers


Shaftesbury (1671-1713)
_____. Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions , and Times, 1711

Anthony Ashley Cooper, The Third Earl of Shaftesbury (the grandson of Dryden's 'Achitophel') gave an influential formulation to many ideas of the Enlightenment. Optimistic theodicy, a defense that evil is necessary for the overall good of the universe (like Pope and Bolingbroke). He defends the notions of the Great Chain of Being and of a full universe. Social morality is derived from innate human benevolence: a belief based on the contemplation of the order of the Universe. He advocates a rational christianity.



Joseph Butler  (1692-1752)
_____. Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the Constitution and Course of Nature. 1736.

Butler was a Bishop of the Church of England. His main work, the Analogy of Religion,  is a defense of Christianity, which tries to justify the necessity of revealed religion from the evidence of order that we find in Nature. Butler is a product of the age of Reason in matters of religion: but he uses reason, or an appearance of reason, to affirm the doctrine of established Christianity. This was considered by many the definitive proof of divine order against the attacks of skeptical philosophy and science.





William Law (1686-1761)
______. The Absolute Unlawfulness of the Stage Entertainment. 1726.
______. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. 1728.

Law was a protestant preacher and author of devotional works. His Serious Call tried to instigate a more emotional and passionate involvement in religion, away from the moderate indifference of the Church of England. Law's work was very influential, was read by many people, and had an important persional impact on people like Samuel Johnson or the religious reformer John Wesley. He stresses the importance of simple faith and even of mysticism; instead of appealing to reason he calls for feeling, religious emotion, and the personal relationship he imagines to exist between every individual Christian and God. (A Protestant revival).



 

John Wesley (1703-91)
_____. Journal. 1735- Pub. 1837.
_____. Works. 32 vols. 1771-4.

Wesley was the founder of Methodism, a Christian church which caused scandal at the time because of the presence of women preachers. Methodism was popular among the lower classes, as a form of self-valuing and the instigation of a democratic feeling in religion. The religious revival called "Evangelicalism" was initiated by John and Charles Wesley, following Law. Evangelicals try to achieve religious inspiration and eloquence, a personal feeling of salvation and renewal. The "enthusiam" of Methodists and other Evangelicals was criticized by the High Church Anglicans, like Joseph Butler, and by the Deists.




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