Victorian Jesus: J.R. Seeeley, religion, and the cultural significance of anonymity

289 Pages·2017·3.25 MB·English

by  Hesketh, Ian, Jesus Christ;Jesus Christ., Jesus Christ / In literature, Seeley, John Robert, Seeley, John Robert, John Robert / Sir / Seeley, John Robert / Sir / Seeley

VICTORIAN JESUS: J.R. SEELEY, RELIGION, AND
THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ANONYMITY
The title page for Ecce Homo: A Survey in the Life and Work of Jesus Christ,
5th edn (London: Macmillan, 1866). Courtesy of the University
of Queensland.
IAN HESKETH
Victorian Jesus: J.R. Seeley,
Religion, and the Cultural
Significance of Anonymity
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
Toronto Buffalo London
© University of Toronto Press 2017
Toronto Buffalo London
www.utppublishing.com
Printed in Canada
ISBN 978-1-4426-4577-6
Printed on acid-free, 100% post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable-
based inks.
Studies in Book and Print Culture
___________________________________________________________________________
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Hesketh, Ian, 1975–, author
Victorian Jesus : J.R. Seeley, religion, and the cultural significance of
anonymity / Ian Hesketh.
(Studies in book and print culture)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4426-4577-6 (hardcover)
1. Seeley, John Robert, Sir, 1834–1895. 2. Seeley, John Robert, Sir, 1834–
1895. Ecce Homo. 3. Historians – Great Britain – Biography.
4. Anonymous writings, English – History and criticism. 5. Authors
and publishers – Great Britain – History – 19th century. 6. Publishers and pub-
lishing – Great Britain – History – 19th century. 7. Religion and literature –
Great Britain – History – 19th century. 8. Literature and society –
Great Britain – History – 19th century. 9. Jesus Christ – In literature.
I. Title. II. Series: Studies in book and print culture
DA3.S4H47 2017 907.2'02 C2017-902182-6
___________________________________________________________________________
This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Federation
for the Humanities and Social Sciences, through the Awards to Scholarly
Publications Program, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council of Canada.
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its
publishing program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario
Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.
aunn Oorngtaanriiosm geo vdeur ngmouevnet rangeemnecnyt de l’Ontario
Funded by the Financé par le
Government gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
For my wonderful parents,
Chris Turner and Bob Hesketh
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Contents
•
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Prologue: The Forgotten Story of Ecce Homo 3
1 Authority and Authorship 13
2 By the Author of Essays on the Church 28
3 Father and Son 42
4 The Victorian Jesus 53
5 A Dangerous Book 68
6 Vomited from the Jaws of Hell 87
7 A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing 102
8 Shrewd Conjecture 115
9 White Lies 127
10 Behold the Man 142
11 Behold the Historian 156
12 Fulfilling a Promise 166
13 By the Author of Ecce Homo 179
viii Contents
14 Remembering the Author of Ecce Homo 195
Epilogue: Anonymous Publishing and Universal History 207
Notes 215
Bibliography 245
Index 261
List of Illustrations
•
Frontispiece The title page for Ecce Homo ii
2.1 Two books from R.B. Seeley’s Is the Bible True? series 33
2.2 Is the Bible True? Familiar Dialogues between James White and
Edward Owen, concerning the “Essays and Reviews" 37
5.1 “To the Editor of the Spectator” signed by “The Author of
‘Ecce Homo’” 75
5.2 Macmillan to Seeley, 29 December 1865 79
6.1 Duelling advertisements in the Spectator, 12 May 1866 95
9.1 James Campbell Shairp to Macmillan, 8 February 1866 129
9.2 J. Llewelyn Davies to Macmillan, 13 November 1866 139
10.1 Seeley to J.B. Mayor, 25 November 1866 148
13.1 Natural Religion, by the Author of “Ecce Homo” 178
14.1 Seeley’s funeral card 202