The intellectual development of E.B. Pusey, 1800-1850

Thesis

As far as I am aware, no one has studied Pusey's life afresh in any real detail since the publication of Liddon's biography (1893-1897). Without exception, all authors subsequent to this, who have dealt with Pusey, have relied very heavily on Liddon. In a sense this was inevitable; Liddon's four volumes were painstakingly detailed, and his quotations extensive; there seemed little left to say. Liddon's Life of E.B. Pusey was indeed a remarkable achievement. Unfortunately, however, the deep respect which Liddon rightly earned for his labours, has mezmerised later historians into an uncritical acceptance of his portrayal of Pusey and his times; the biography was and is too frequently approached with an emotion akin to awe. So great has been Liddon's success that, though some readers may not have liked what they found in the biography, they have largely considered it an accurate interpretation of Pusey and his era. Hitherto, it has seldom been appreciated that Liddon was too much an immediate disciple of Pusey and too close to him in time, to sea either his master objectively or the historical events of the period in perspective. Nevertheless, any analysis of the intellectual development of Pusey during the first fifty years of his life must of necessity take Liddon's picture into account; throughout this thesis, therefore, I have indicated where I differ from Liddon in my views...

Authors: Forrester, D

• Publication date: 1967
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-debmop5d9
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Subjects: Great Britain; 19th century; Intellectual life; Biography