Record Number: 12943

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'There is a very extraordinary passage in Rousseau's Thoughts on Fanaticism. It is printed in his Thoughts, published by Debrett, Vol.i. page 11. Bayle (says he) has acutely proved that Fanaticism is more pernicious than Atheism. This is incontestable. What he has been very careful, however, not to mention, and, what is not less true is, that Fanaticism, although sanguinary and cruel, is still an exalted passion, which elevates the heart of man, raises him above the fear of death, multiplies his resources exceedingly, and which only wants to be better directed, to be productive of the most sublime virtues. (He adds) The argumentative spirit of controversy and philosophy, on the contrary, attaches us to life, enervates and debases the soul, concentrates all passions in the baseness of self-interest, and thus gradually saps the real foundation of all society.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

unknown

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

James Lackington

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

31 Aug 1746

Socio-Economic Group:

Clerk / tradesman / artisan / smallholder
Bookseller rising socially

Occupation:

Bookseller

Religion:

lapsed Methodist

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Title:

Thoughts of Jean Jacques Rousseau, Citizen of Geneva, selected from his writings by an Anonymous Editor

Genre:

Philosophy

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

'Debrett, Vol i. page 11' - possibly 2 vol edition translated by Miss Henrietta Colebrooke, printed in London by Debret and Baldwin (1788?)

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

12943

Source:

Print

Author:

James Lackington

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Memoirs of the Forty Five First Years of The Life James Lackington

Place of Publication:

London, Temple of the Muses

Date of Publication:

1794

Vol:

n/a

Page:

280

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Lackington, Memoirs of the Forty Five First Years of The Life James Lackington, (London, Temple of the Muses, 1794), p. 280, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=12943, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

None