From Page to Pedestal: Literature in the Age of Collecting: ▬ Philosophical Thought

John Selden was a celebrated legal scholar hailed as "the chief of learned men" by John Milton. His Table Talk lectures were transcribed by Richard Milward, Selden's secretary, and first printed in 1689. The first edition was published thirty-five years after Selden's death, coinciding with the relaxation of press censorship following England’s Glorious Revolution. Selden, twice imprisoned for supporting the House of Commons during his lifetime, had his work circulated in manuscript form before its official publication, though none of the originals survive.

John Wilkins was a natural philosopher and founding member of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge. In his groundbreaking text, first published in 1668, he proposes the concept of establishing a universal language based in philosophical principles. It includes a systematic method for creating vocabulary based upon a classification of knowledge. Part of the original work was lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666. He later enlisted the help of John Ray and Francis Willoughby to improve the botanical and zoological nomenclature, respectively.

The Rambler was a popular periodical written and published by the renowned literary critic Samuel Johnson from 1750 to 1752. Johnson explored a wide range of topics, including morality, society, politics, and religion though a series of 208 short essays. The periodical was targeted at the burgeoning middle class of the 18th century who sought social fluency. Issue No. 139 features “A Critical Examination of Samson Agonistes,” offering a critique on John Milton’s 1671 closet drama. Notably, several issues showcased contributions from women writers.

The True Intellectual System of the Universe: The First Part; wherein, all the Reason and Philosophy of Atheism is Confuted; and its Impossibility Demonstrated by philosopher and theologian Ralph Cudworth is a philosophical treatise published in the late 17th century. In this monumental work, Cudworth challenged prevailing views on metaphysics, ethics, and theology, arguing for the existence of a divine order and innate moral principles governing the universe. His exploration of these topics in the 17th century laid a foundation for later Enlightenment thinkers, influencing their views on reason, natural law, and the pursuit of knowledge.