Terrae-filius, Or, The Secret History of the University of Oxford, 1721-1726Edited with an Introduction and Notes by William E. Rivers In his Terrae-Filius essays of 1721, Nicholas Amhurst describes and satirizes Oxford life as he saw it during the 1710s and early 1720s. Although academic and intellectual issues receive abundant attention, Amhurst devoted even more space to the political, religious, social, and moral issues that often worked to undercut the university's academic goals. Written in an energetic, personal prose style characteristic of the best eighteenth-century essay periodicals, the Terrae-Filius essays provide accessible, entertaining reading for anyone interested in the history of Oxford University, early eighteenth-century British culture, or the close but often tense relationship between the nation and the university during the tumultuous decade following the Whig ascendancy of 1714. This modern critical edition of the Terrae-Filius reprints all the essays (including those omitted in the 1726 collected editions) and provides an introduction and extensive explanatory notes that set the essays in their historical and cultural context. William E. Rivers is Professor of English at the University of South Carolina. |
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Page 9
... Interest , Humor , and Reason 19 On a Scholar Seduced from his Studies 20 On Common Sense and Oxford Disputations 21 On Aristotle's Authority at Oxford 22 Mr. Meadowcourt and the Black Book 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Mr ...
... Interest , Humor , and Reason 19 On a Scholar Seduced from his Studies 20 On Common Sense and Oxford Disputations 21 On Aristotle's Authority at Oxford 22 Mr. Meadowcourt and the Black Book 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Mr ...
Page 18
... interest in politics began while he was a student at Merchant Taylors ' School during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 and the swirl of political activity that preceded and followed it . In Terrę - Filius Number 45 , Amhurst speaks of the ...
... interest in politics began while he was a student at Merchant Taylors ' School during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 and the swirl of political activity that preceded and followed it . In Terrę - Filius Number 45 , Amhurst speaks of the ...
Page 22
... interest . In its pages , he would be able to articulate themes that had run through his earlier works , including the Terra - Filius . He could again attack the arbitrary exercise of power and corruption in high places and argue for ...
... interest . In its pages , he would be able to articulate themes that had run through his earlier works , including the Terra - Filius . He could again attack the arbitrary exercise of power and corruption in high places and argue for ...
Page 25
... interests of those who patronize them . The result is a fascinating map of the city's journalistic tastes . Themes in the Essays When Amhurst went up to Oxford in 1717 , he apparently took with him high expectations of university life ...
... interests of those who patronize them . The result is a fascinating map of the city's journalistic tastes . Themes in the Essays When Amhurst went up to Oxford in 1717 , he apparently took with him high expectations of university life ...
Page 38
... interests and to persecute those who supported King George . The episode also reveals the relative ineffectiveness of Oxford Jacobitism . The sermon and the way it was ... interest often : the gentlemen commoners and the 38 INTRODUCTION.
... interests and to persecute those who supported King George . The episode also reveals the relative ineffectiveness of Oxford Jacobitism . The sermon and the way it was ... interest often : the gentlemen commoners and the 38 INTRODUCTION.
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academical Amhurst Amhurst's note amongst Bangorian Controversy Benjamin Hoadley bishop of Bangor Black Book C1 Number call'd called chancellor Charles Clarendon Press collected edition common constitution club degree Delaune's disputations doctor Drybones eighteenth century F Number famous fellow folio friends gentlemen give governor Hart-Hall heads of colleges Hearne High Church History honour Jacobite James John John's College King George late learning lectures letter Library London Lord manner matriculated Meadowcourt mention Merchant Taylors Merton Merton College Nathaniel Mist never Nicholas Amhurst oath obliged occasion omit opinion Oriel original Number paper persons poem political preached present proctors publick reader reason religion Remarks and Collections Restoration reverend satire Saturday scholars sculls sermon society statute Terrę-Filius thing Thomas Thomas Warton thought Tories truth University of Oxford vice-chancellor Warton Wednesday Weekly Journal Whig William Delaune young
Popular passages
Page 62 - there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance.
Page 69 - Exegi monumentum aere perennius Regalique situ pyramidum altius, Quod non imber edax, non Aquilo impotens Possit diruere aut innumerabilis Annorum series et fuga temporum.
Page 24 - I am in hopes that we may order our affairs so as to meet this summer at the Bath; for Mr Pope and myself have thoughts of taking a trip thither. You shall preach, and we will write lampoons ; for it is esteemed as 'great an honour to leave the Bath for fear of a broken head, as for a Terrae Filius of Oxford to be expelled.