Curiosity: A Cultural History of Early Modern Inquiry
Although curiosity is generally considered a virtue in Western culture, in early modern England (1660-1820) a curious person was thought to harbor social ambitions or threaten the very order of nature and society. In this pithy and wide-ranging study, Benedict (English, Trinity Coll.; Making the Modern Reader) tries to discover why, in that era, the curiosity seeker often became the curiosity and the aficionado of monsters became the monster itself. This study of responses to the various manifestations of curiosity from the establishment of the Royal Society to 18th-century periodicals to 19th-century balloon ascents is truly central to any exploration of the early modern period in England. The case Benedict makes for curiosity's being a major concern in such literary works as Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock, and Samuel Johnson's Rasselas is very convincing. Although it is hindered by some sluggish academic prose, this study provides a fresh new lens through which to reinvestigate the whole range of early modern English literature. Highly recommended for all academic libraries. Charles C. Nash, Cottey Coll., Nevada, MOCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.