It is widely agreed that the period from 1625 to 1700 witnessed radical shifts in English life and thought. For historians of politics, science, religion, and philosophy, it is a time when the intellectual bases of modern thought and modern institutions were in the process of formation: divine monarchy gave way to contractual monarchy, the ‘truths’ of received authority gave way to those reached by inductive reasoning.
Although the year 1660 to some extent marks a turning point, this comprehensive and fascinating book, Into Another Mould (originally published in 1992), demonstrates an underlying continuity within the period of Stuart rule. It presents thinkers and writers before and after 1660 responding to similar dilemmas, albeit with different attitudes, methods, and conclusions.
Central to this volume are the related concepts of authority and reason. By looking at the changing attitudes to these two concepts in all spheres of life, it examines the crucial developments of the period and their bearing on the literature. Within this framework, the authors examine social and political history, religious belief and scientific knowledge, and painting, sculpture, and architecture as contexts for the literature of the time. This book will be a beneficial read for students and researchers of English literature, history, and cultural studies.