Samuel Johnson's "general Nature": Tradition and Transition in Eighteenth-century DiscourseThis study illuminates the importance and meaning of the term author in eighteenth-century discourse from the perspective of its prominent usage by Samuel Johnson. It explains Johnson's employment of nature in his periodical essays, his qualified endorsement of the new science, and his commendation of Shakespeare's drama and other literary works on the basis of their just representation of general nature. |
Contents
Acknowledgments | 9 |
Classical Nature | 21 |
Medieval Nature | 36 |
Copyright | |
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according acts appearances Aquinas argument Aristotle assertion begin bodies Books Boyle called cause century chapter Christian classical commendation complexity concept conception of nature considered consists constitutes contains context created creation criticism Cudworth defined definition determined discussion divine edition effect eighteenth eighteenth-century emphasized endorsement Essay evidence evil example existence experience explanation fact follow further genius human Hume ideas illustrates images imagination implies important inherent intellectual interpretation John Johnson's knowledge laws literary literature living material matter meaning medieval metaphysical mind moral nature notes notion objects observation original Oxford parenthetically particular philosophical phusis physical Plato poet poetry Pope present principles providence quotations Rambler rational reality reason refer relation representation represented Samuel Johnson scientific sense Shakespeare Stoic structure term theological theory things thought tion tradition translation truth ture ultimate understanding University Press virtue York