Victorian Literature: Sixty Years of Books and BookmenShorter, Clement King
History
Victorian Literature: Sixty Years of Books and Bookmen
Shorter, Clement King
English literature -- 19th century -- History and criticism
I have said well nigh enough concerning speculative writers and
theologians, but it is necessary to mention here =Henry Longueville
Mansel (1820-1871)=, who succeeded Milman as Dean of St Paul's. Mansel
was a vigorous defender of the Anglican position. "The Limits of
Religious Thought" was the title of one of his books; "Metaphysics, or
the Philosophy of Consciousness, Phenomenal and Real" was another, but
he crossed swords with many disputants, with F. D. Maurice, with J. S.
Mill, and indeed he was ever a fighter, subtle and skilful. Another
theologian, =Cardinal Manning (1808-1892)=, was a disputant on behalf
of Roman Catholicism, he having left the Anglican Church in 1851. His
many books and sermons are to-day only of interest to the theological
student. His life was written in 1896, and caused much controversy
through its exceeding candour and indiscretion.
Philosophy has had notable students also in Ferrier, Caird, and
Clifford. =James Frederick Ferrier (1808-1864)= who was a nephew of
Susan Ferrier the author of "Marriage," was professor of moral
philosophy at St Andrews. He wrote "Lectures in Greek Philosophy" and
other works. =Edward Caird (1835- )= is master of Balliol and he has
written "Philosophy of Kant," "Essays on Literature and Philosophy," and
"The Evolution of Religion." =William Kingdon Clifford (1845-1879)=
belonged to the opposite camp. He obtained an early reputation as a
mathematician and became professor of applied mathematics in University
College, London, in 1871. His powerful contributions to the literary
side of science were contained in "Seeing and Thinking" and "Lectures
and Essays," the latter volume being edited after his death by his
friends Mr Leslie Stephen and Sir Frederick Pollock.
The three most notable books that we have seen from the anti-theological
side, apart from Matthew Arnold's "Literature and Dogma," are "The Creed
of Christendom," "Phases of Faith," and "Supernatural Religion,"
although to these may perhaps be added translations of the Lives of
Christ, of Strauss, and of Renan. The "Creed of Christendom" was the
work of =William Rathbone Greg (1809-1881)=, who wrote also "Enigmas
of Life" (1872), and "Rocks Ahead" (1874). "Phases of Faith" was the
work of =Francis William Newman (1805-1897)=, a younger brother of
Cardinal Newman, but at the opposite pole of religious conviction. He
has written many books, the most successful being one on "The Soul"
(1849). Another on "Theism" (1858), was inspired by the same theistic,
but non-Christian impulse. "Phases of Faith" (1858), was his most
successful work. The author of "Supernatural Religion" is Walter Richard
Cassels, who has also published a reply to Bishop Lightfoot's strictures
upon his larger work--a work now all but forgotten, but which created a
considerable sensation at the time of its appearance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account