Geology and Religious Sentiment: The Effect of Geological Discoveries on English Society and Literature Between 1829 and 1859

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BRILL, 1997 - History - 215 pages
This book deals with reactions to geological discoveries in early nineteenth-century England. How did theologians cope with new scientific evidence of the antiquity of the world which was contrary to accepted biblical chronology? And what repercussions did this picture have on philosophers, poets and novelists? The first part of the book concentrates on Charles Lyell's religious and scientific views. This is followed by a study of William Buckland, Adam Segdwick and William Whewell, three clergymen who were also geologists. The last section explores the literary reception of the revolutionary discoveries of Lyell and his contemporaries.

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Contents

The Geological Setting The Dangerous and Visionary
1
The Period to 1830 From Former Worlds
15
If We Dont Irritate We Shall Carry All with Us
27
Principles of Geology 183233 Working Hard at Natural
51
Modified Mud or Modified Monkey Uniformity
61
Progress Education and Unitarianism
75
William Buckland BridgeovertheWater
87
Adam Sedgwick How Much Good Might He
102
William Whewell Lyells Labours and Ideas
132
Swinging MidAir among the Precipices of Life
157
The Whole Creation Groaneth and Travaileth
168
Deus Quidam Deceptor
177
Towards Abatement of the Fever
188
Conclusion
197
Bibliography
201
Index
211

Adam Sedgwick The Sober Facts and the Rogues Game
118

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About the author (1997)

Jan M. Ivo Klaver, Ph.D. (1997), University of Amsterdam, teaches English at the University of Urbino (Italy).

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