Origins of the Scottish Enlightenment 1707 - 1776, J. Rendall: Hardback: 1st Ed

The Origins of the Scottish Enlightenment 1707 - 1776

By Jane Rendall.

Published by The Macmillan Press, London, 1978. First Edition. Hardback cover with dustjacket (unclipped), 257 pages. 

CONDITION
Overall very good condition, just some light scuff marks to the black gloss dustjacket - see photos. No names or writing. 

This book is intended as an up-to-date introduction to an area of study which has been much neglected in the past. The Enlightenment in Scotland, unlike that in England, saw a distinctive pattern of ideas emerge, and a unique collection of talented writers, including David Hume and Adam Smith. Here the author concentrates on the earlier and most brilliant phases of the Scottish Enlightenment, culminating in the publication of The Wealth of Nations in 1776.

The introduction sets the writers of the Enlightenment in the context of early eighteenth-century Scotland. The changes brought about after the union with England in 1707 within political life, the Church, and the universities, all helped to produce the conditions for the Enlightenment. Amongst the changes documented are the challenge to the Calvinist Church of Scotland, increasing contacts with England and the continent, and the growth of a freer social life.

The main part of the book explores the outstanding themes of the writers of the Scottish Enlightenment: the underlying Scottish moral philosophy; comparative history; new fields of study in the economy; the family: religion; and the assessment of rapid economic and social change within their own society.

The author illustrates the social life of Edinburgh at the heart of the Enlightenment: the clubs and societies; the University; and the role of 'enlightened' clergy within the Church of Scotland. The book has a bibliography intended as a guide to current literature and to available primary sources.

(Bindery shelves;B1)