Synopses & Reviews
Narratives of Enlightenment reappraises the work of five of the most important narrative historians of the eighteenth century--Voltaire, David Hume, William Robertson, Edward Gibbon, and the historian of the American Revolution, David Ramsay--in the context of political and national debates in France, Scotland, England and America. Where previous studies have emphasized the growth of nationalism in eighteenth-century literature, Karen O'Brien reveals the development of cosmopolitan ways of thinking beyond national cultural issues.
Review
"Karen O'Brien has written an insightful and well-informed account of both the style and ideological foundations of eighteenth-century historiography." American Historical Review"...a series of illuminating and provocative readings, notable...for their imaginative synthesis and development of previous historical, theoretical, and literary studies in the period." Modern Philology
Synopsis
A reappraisal of the work of five major narrative historians (Voltaire, Hume, Robertson, Gibbon and Ramsay) in eighteenth-century Europe and America.
Synopsis
'Narratives of Enlightenment reappraises the work of five of the most important narrative historians of the eighteenth century - Voltaire, David Hume, William Robertson, Edward Gibbon, and the historian of the American Revolution, David Ramsay - and reveals the development of cosmopolitan ways of thinking beyond national issues.\n
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Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-243) and index.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements and authorâs note; 1. Introduction: cosmopolitanism, narrative, history; 2. Voltaireâs neoclassical poetics of history; 3. European contexts in Humeâs History of England; 4. William Robertson to the rescue of Scottish history; 5. Robertson on the triumph of Europe and its empires; 6. Emulation and revival: Gibbonâs Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; 7. David Ramsayâs sceptical history of the American Revolution; Afterword; Bibliography; Index.