William Jones in English National Philology during the Age of Enlightenment

LI Juan

doi:10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20236408

Volume 6 Issue 4

Dec. 2023

Turn off MathJax

Article Contents

Article Navigation > International Comparative Literature > 2023 > 6(4): 108-126

LI Juan. William Jones in English National Philology during the Age of Enlightenment[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2023, 6(4): 108-126. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20236408

Citation:

LI Juan. William Jones in English National Philology during the Age of Enlightenment[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2023, 6(4): 108-126. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20236408

LI Juan. William Jones in English National Philology during the Age of Enlightenment[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2023, 6(4): 108-126. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20236408

Citation:

LI Juan. William Jones in English National Philology during the Age of Enlightenment[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2023, 6(4): 108-126. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20236408

PDF( 1050 KB)

William Jones in English National Philology during the Age of Enlightenment

doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20236408

LI Juan^,

Tianjin University of Science and Technology

Received Date: 2023-04-16
Accepted Date: 2023-11-21

Abstract

Abstract

William Jones was an outstanding representative of Oriental Studies in 18th-century Britain, but his contributions and significance in the field of English national philology have long been overlooked. Jones was trained in classical Latin linguistics from childhood, but made outstanding contributions to non-classical languages, which reflects a tendency to seek academic self-orientation in Britain to escape the shadow of continental learning in the 18th century. The Enlightenment Movement promoted the development of English national philology, giving rise to a “public philology” in Britain, which combined the mundane with the intellectual and created British modernity as public socializing and publishing flourished. The prosperity of English philology brought forth a “philological living” for British people and promoted the dissemination of Enlightenment thought. William Jones witnessed the maturing of Enlightenment thought in Britain, and his philological practice was imbued with the cognition and practice in the Age of the Enlightenment. Dr. Johnson's Literary Club is a pioneer of English literary practice in this period, representing the forefront of British thought and knowledge at that time. A former President of the Club, Jones promoted the development of “public philology” in Britain. In his national philology, the rules of Enlightenment thought were more in line with the classical spirit. The epic “Britain Discovered” has a conspicuous classical taste both in material selection and in meaning. Meanwhile, influenced by British empiricism, Jones downplayed the educational function of art and appreciated an expression of the strong emotions of mankind in literature. Besides, the allure of the East inspired him to find the romantic sentiments lacking in the classics, contributing to his achievements in Oriental philology. Arguably, Jones achieved a balance between the rules of reason(the classical) and the irrationality of emotion(the romantic).
- William Jones,
- national philology,
- “public philology”,
- enlightenment,
- classicism,
- romanticism

FullText(HTML)

References(34)

References

[1]	Ahmed,Siraj.Archaeology of Babel:The Colonial Foundations of the Humanities.Palo Alto:Stanford University Press,2018.
[2]	Barry,Jonathan.“The Press and the Politics of Culture in Bristol,1660-1775.”In Culture,Politics and Society in Britain,1600-1800.Edited by Jeremy Black and Jeremy Gregory,Manchester:Manchester University Press,1991,49-81.
[3]	Beauclerk,Topham.“Letter,Adelphi,November 20,1773.”In Memoirs of the Political and Private Life of James Caulfeild,Earl of Charlemont,Knight of St.Patrick.Edited by Francis Hardy,London:T.Cadell and W.Davies,1810,176-178.
[4]	Bryant,Donald C.Edmund Burke and His Literary Friends.Washington:The Board of Publication of Washington University,1939.
[5]	Campbell,Thomas.Dr.Campbell’s Diary of a Visit to England in 1775.Edited by James L.Clifford,Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,1947.
[6]	Cannon,Garland H.“Freedom of the Press and Sir William Jones.”Journalism Quarterly 33,no.2(1956):179-88.
[7]	——.“Sir William Jones and Dr.Johnson’s Literary Club.”Modern Philology 63,no.1(1965):20-37.
[8]	Cranfield,Geoffrey Alan.The Press and Society from Caxton to Northcliffe,London:Routledge,1978.
[9]	Gibbon,Edward.Memoirs of My Life,Edited by Oliver Farrar Emerson.Boston,U.S.A.and London:The Athenaeum Press,1898.
[10]	Jonson,Ben.Discoveries,1641;Conversations with William Drummond of Hawthornden,1619,London:John Lane,The Bodley Head Itd.,1923.
[11]	Johnson,Samuel.A Dictionary of the English Language,London:1755.
[12]	Lackington,James.Memoirs of the First Forty-Five Years of the Life of James Lackington,London,1792.
[13]	Pinto,V.de Sola.“Sir William Jones and English Literature.”Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies,University of London 11,no.4,(1946):686-694.
[14]	Sprat,Thomas.The History of the Royal-Society of London for the Improving of Natural Knowledge.London:J.Knapton,1734.
[15]	Teignmouth,Lord.Memoirs of the Life,Writing,and Correspondence,of Sir William Jones.Philadelphia:WM.Poyntell,&Co.,1805.
[16]	——.The Works of Sir William Jones with the Life of the Author.In Thirteen Volumes.London:John Stockdale,Piccadilly;and John Walker,Paternoster-Row,1807.
[17]	Wilkins,John.Essay Towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language,London,1668.
[18]	(英)劳埃德·斯宾塞:《启蒙运动》,盛韵译,北京:三联书店,2016年。[Spencer,Lloyd.Qimeng yundong(Introducing The Enlightenment).Translated by SHENG Yun,Beijing:SDX Joint Publishing Company,2016.]
[19]	(美)利奥·达姆罗施:《重返昨日世界:从塞缪尔·约翰逊到亚当·斯密,一群塑造时代的人》,叶丽贤译,桂林:广西师范大学出版社,2022年。[Damrosch,Leo.Chongfan zuori shijie:cong samiu’er yuehanxun dao yadang simi,yiqun suzao shidai de ren(The Club:Johnson,Boswell,and the Friends Who Shaped an Age).Translated by YE Lixian.Guilin:Guangxi Normal University Press,2022.]
[20]	(英)弗朗西斯·培根:《学术的进展》,刘运同译,上海:上海人民出版社,2007年。[Francis Bacon.Xueshu de jinzhan(The Advancement of Learning).Translated by LIU Yuntong.Shanghai:Shanghai People’s Publishing House,2007.]
[21]	(美)罗伯特·金·默顿:《十七世纪英格兰的科学、技术与社会》,范岱年等译,北京:商务印书馆,2011年。[Merton,Robert King.Shiqi shiji yinggelan de kexue jishu yu shehui(Science,Technology&Society in Seventeenth Century England).Translated by FAN Dainian et al.Beijing:The Commercial Press,2011.]
[22]	(英)罗伊·波特:《创造现代世界:英国启蒙运动钩沉》,李源等译,北京:商务印书馆,2022年。[Potter,Roy.Chuangzao xiandai shijie:yingguo qimeng yundong gouchen(The Creation of Modern World:the Untold Story of the British Enlightenment).Translated by LI Yuan et al.Beijing:The Commercial Press,2022.]
[23]	(德)马克思、恩格斯:《马克思恩格斯全集》第2卷,中共中央马克思恩格斯列宁斯大林著作编译局编译,北京:人民出版社,2005年。[Marx and Engels,Makesi engesi quanji(Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe).Vol.2.Translated by The Compilation and Translation Bureau of Marx,Engels,Lenin and Stalin of the CPC Central Committee.Beijing:People’s Publishing House,2005.]
[24]	(英)马克辛·伯格:《奢侈与逸乐18世纪英国的物质世界》,孙超译,北京:中国工人出版社,2019年。[Berg,Maxine.Shechi yu yile 18 shiji yingguo de wuzhi shijie(Luxury&Pleasure in Eighteenth-Century Britain).Translated by SUN Chao,Beijing:China Workers’Press,2019.]
[25]	(美)M.H.艾布拉姆斯:《镜与灯:浪漫主义文论及批评传统》,骊稚牛、张照先、童庆生译,北京:北京大学出版社,1989年。[Abrams,M.H.Jing yu deng:langman zhuyi wenlun ji piping chuantong(The Mirror and the Lamp:Romantic Theory and the Critical Tradition).Translated by LI Zhiniu,et al.,Beijing:Peking University Press,1989.]
[26]	(英)培根:《新工具》,许宝骙译,北京:商务印书馆,1986年。[Bacon,Francis.Xingongju(Novum Organum).Translated by XU Baokui,Beijing:The Commercial Press,1986.]
[27]	(英)萨缪尔·约翰逊:《诗人传》(英文版),上海:上海三联书店,2017年。[Johnson,Samuel.Shirenzhuan(Lives of the Poets).Shanghai:Shanghai Joint Publishing Press,2017.]
[28]	(美)萨义德:《东方学》,王宇根译,北京:三联书店,2007年。[Said,Edward W.Dongfangxue(Orientalism).Translated by WANG Yugen.Beijing:SDX Joint Publishing Company,2007.]
[29]	舒小昀:《分化与整合:1688-1783年英国社会结构分析》,南京:南京大学出版社,2003年。[SHU Xiaoyun.Fenhua yu zhenghe:1688-1783 nian yingguo shehui jiegou fenxi(Division and Integration:An Analysis of the Social Structure of Britain from 1688 to 1783).Nanjing:Nanjing University Press,2003.]
[30]	(英)托马斯·霍布斯:《利维坦》,黎思复,黎廷弼译,北京:商务印书馆,2017年。[Hobbes,Thomas.Liweitan(Leviathan).Translated by LI Sifu and LI Tingbi.Beijing:The Commercial Press,2017.]
[31]	王卫新、隋晓荻等:《英国文学批评史》,上海:上海外语教育出版社,2011年。[WANG Weixin,SUI Xiaodi et al.Yingguo wenxue pipingshi(A History of British Literary Criticism).Shanghai:Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2011.]
[32]	王佐良:《英国散文的流变》,北京:商务印书馆,2011年。[WANG Zuoliang.Yingyu sanwen de liubian(The Evolution of English Prose).Beijing:The Commercial Press,2011.]
[33]	(古希腊)亚里士多德:《尼各马可伦理学》,廖申白译,北京:商务印书馆,2003年。[Aristotle.Nigemake lunlixue(The Nicomachean Ethics).Translated by LIAO Shenbai.Beijing:The Commercial Press,2003.]
[34]	于文:《出版商的诞生:不确定性与18世纪英国图书生产》,上海:上海人民出版社,2014年。[YU Wen.Chubanshang de dansheng:buquedingxing yu 18 shiji yingguo tushu shengchan(The Birth of Publishers:Uncertainty and 18th-Century British Book Production).Shanghai:Shanghai People’s Publishing House,2014. ]