Imagining Methodism in Eighteenth-Century Britain: Enthusiasm, Belief, and the Borders of the Self

294 Pages·2012·6.592 MB·English

by  Misty G. Anderson

Imagining Methodism
in Eighteenth-Century Britain
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Imagining Methodism
in Eighteenth-Century Britain
Enthusiasm, Belief & the Borders of the Self
(cid:2) (cid:3)
Misty G. Anderson
The Johns Hopkins University Press
Baltimore
© 2012 The Johns Hopkins University Press
All rights reserved. Published 2012
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Anderson, Misty G., 1967–
Imagining Methodism in eighteenth-century Britain : enthusiasm,
belief, and the borders of the self / Misty G. Anderson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4214-0480-6 (hdbk. : acid-free paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4214-0528-5 (electronic)
ISBN-10: 1-4214-0480-X (hdbk. : acid-free paper)
ISBN-10: 1-4214-0528-8 (electronic)
1. English literature—18th century—History and criticism.
2. Religion in literature. 3. Methodism in literature. 4. Great
Britain—Intellectual life—18th century. I. Title.
pr448.r45a53 2012
820.9′38287—dc23 2011034744
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
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more information, please contact Special Sales at 410-516-6936 or
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The Johns Hopkins University Press uses environmentally friendly
book materials, including recycled text paper that is composed of at
least 30 percent post-consumer waste, whenever possible.
For Trevor, Andy, and John
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction. Longing to Believe: Methodism and Modernity 1
1 Historicizing Methodism 34
2 The New Man: Desire, Transformation, and the
Methodist Body 70
3 Words Made Flesh: Fanny Hill and the Language of Passion 100
4 Actors and Ghosts: Methodism in the Theater of the Real 130
5 “My Lord, My Love”: The Performance of Public Intimacy
and the Methodist Hymn 171
6 A Usable Past: Reconciliation in Humphry Clinker and
The Spiritual Quixote 200
Afterword. 1778 and Beyond 232
Notes 239
Bibliography 257
Index 273
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Acknowledgments
Many individuals and institutions have made this book possible, and
it is a pleasure to thank some of them here. The University of Ten-
nessee’s Hodges Better English Fund, the College of Arts and Sci-
ences’s Professional Development Awards, department heads John Zomchick
and Chuck Maland, Dean Carolyn Hodges, Provost Susan Martin, and Dean
Bruce Burstein supported the research leave during which much of the work for
this project was completed. Their unfl agging support has been a great boon
to this project and an inspiration to me. The Beinecke Library’s John D. and
Rose H. Jackson Fellowship and the Lewis Walpole Library’s Visiting Research
Fellowship provided invaluable opportunities for archival research and precious
writing time. Alan Rutenberg from the UT Offi ce of Research was a great help
in applying for fellowships and helping me think about this book for multiple
audiences. Matthew McAdam at the Johns Hopkins University Press and his
entire staff have been wonderful. I am grateful to Matt for his faith in this project
and for fi nding thoughtful readers for the manuscript. Kara Reiter and Helen
Myers brought keen eyes and expertise that helped to bring the book into its
present form.