'I have dipped into Mr Harrison; in fact almost read it, here & there in bits - I feel as if in one or two places I could have told him more, or set him to rights; but there is an immense deal of truth in the whole, especially considering that it was gathered by one man in the short space of 3 weeks'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell Manuscript: Unknown
James Martineau to Hallam Tennyson (1893), recalling meetings of the Metaphysical Society:
'I remember a special interest shown by your father in a paper contributed by the Rev. F. D. Maurice on the meaning of the words "Nature," "Natural," "Supernatural," November 21st, 1871 [...]
'The other subjects on which papers were read in your father's presence were the following:
'July 14, 1869. The commonsense philosophy of causation: Dr W. B. Carpenter.
'June 15, 1870. Is there any Axiom of Causation? Myself. (Mr Tennyson in the chair.)
'July 13. The relativity of Knowledge: Mr Fred. Harrison.
'Dec. 13. The emotion of Conviction: Mr Walter Bagehot.
'July 11, 1871. What is Death? Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol.
'July 9, 1872. The supposed necessity for seeking a solution of ultimate Metaphysical Problems: Mr F. Harrison.
Nov. 12. The five idols of the Theatre: Mr Shadworth H. Hodgson.
Dec. 16, 1873. Utilitarianism: Professor Henry Sidgwick.
Feb. 12, 1878. Double truth: Rev. M. Pattison, Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford.'
Unknown
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Frederick Harrison
'Mr Edminson then read a paper on Mrs Besant's autobiography. Some discussion folowed. Mr Morland gave a summary of Fairbairn's Christ in Modern Theology which also excited some remark.
Mrs W.H. Smith also commented on some of the points in F. Harrison's Meaning of History in which she was joined by other members'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Ann Smith Print: Book
'Your father's book is wonderful. I read the articles of course at the time; but now collected, in the mass, they astonish one by their marvellous insight into the future.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Conrad Print: Book
'After a stormy passage I find myself once more at Alexandria and Sheyk Obeyd. During the voyage I read Frederick [sic] Harrison's novel which he has just published, a strange mixture of historic fact of the most interesting kind, and melodrama of the most conventional. The romantic episodes will not, I think, redound to Harrison's philosophic fame, for it is naively unreal, but these take up but a few pages, and might as well have been omitted altogether, while the historic background is vigorous and well told, only, as in every historical novel, the parts that are true ought to be printed in sober type, the parts untrue in red.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Wilfrid Scawen Blunt Print: Book
