National Thanksgivings and Ideas of Britain, 1689-1816

413 Pages·2020·5.646 MB·English

by  Warren Johnston

NATIONAL THANKSGIVINGS
AND IDEAS OF BRITAIN
1689–1816
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Title page of James Stillingfleet’s National Gratitude, Enforced in a Sermon
(London, 1798) © The British Library Board, shelfmark 4473.d.6(4).
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National Thanksgivings
and Ideas of Britain
1689–1816
Warren Johnston
THE BOYDELL PRESS
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© Warren Johnston 2020
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The right of Warren Johnston to be identified as
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sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
First published 2020
The Boydell Press, Woodbridge
ISBN 978-1-78327-358-4
The Boydell Press is an imprint of Boydell & Brewer Ltd
PO Box 9, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3DF, UK
and of Boydell & Brewer Inc.
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The publisher has no responsibility for the continued existence or accuracy of URLs for external
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This publication is printed on acid-free paper
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This book is dedicated to my son James,
and to the memory of my son Andrew,
for the joy they have always
brought into my life
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Notes on elements of the text xi
List of general thanksgiving days 1689–1816 xiv

Introduction 1
1 Sermons and thanksgiving-day sermons in the long eighteenth century 11
2 Thanksgiving-day sermons – purposes and meanings 31
3 ‘The Palladium of our Safety’ – Providence and Britain 59
4 Political theory and principles 91
5 ‘This Carping Age’ – the politics of unity and discord 115
6 War 151
7 Costs of war and consequences of peace 174
8 Commerce and Empire 205
9 Anglicanism, dissent, anti-Catholicism, and infidelity 231
10 Others and Britons 260
Conclusion 292
Appendix A: Thanksgiving-day preachers’ and sermon details 297
Appendix B: Denominational breakdown of thanksgiving-day preachers 330
Appendix C: Main scriptural texts used for thanksgiving-day sermons 331
Bibliography of primary sources 333
Bibliography of secondary sources 379
Index 387
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Acknowledgements
This study would never have begun without William Gibson’s kind invitation to
contribute a chapter on thanksgiving-day sermons for The Oxford Handbook of the
British Sermon, 1689–1901 that he and Keith Francis were editing. Once I began that
project, I realised there were almost six hundred such sermons published between
1689 and 1816, and this was certainly more than enough material for a much larger
work on the subject. I am grateful to Bill for having asked me to be involved in his
volume, as it led to this book.
Stephen Taylor and Tim Harris read and commented on earlier drafts of this
work. I am grateful to them for their careful and thoughtful responses to those
previous versions. Their critique and suggestions allowed me to make this book
better. We also, however, agreed to disagree on certain approaches I have chosen to
maintain: therefore, any shortcomings of the final version remain entirely my own.
I received financial support in the form of a publishing subvention from the
Algoma University Research Publications Fund. I am extremely grateful to Dr Pedro
Antunes and the members of the Algoma University Research Advisory Committee
for supporting my application for this subvention.
I must next thank the librarians and staff of the Wishart Library at Algoma
University, and especially to Anne Beaupré, Helen Pereira, Tracy Spurway, Robin
Isard, and Ken Hernden. Once more they have shown the great ability, despite a
limited budget and extensive demands on their time and resources, to provide first-
class research services. It never ceases to amaze me what they have supplied to meet
my research needs, and always willingly, and with such effectiveness.
I am grateful for the ongoing support of my colleagues in the Humanities Faculty,
especially the willingness of Celia Ross and Linda Burnett to take on the Faculty
Chair responsibilities in my place, which allowed me to devote more time to this
book. The Algoma Historians Writing Group has read and commented on several
early versions of chapters, so I thank Marisha Caswell, Bruce Douville, and Robert
Rutherdale for their useful suggestions on revisions.
I must acknowledge several colleagues individually whose impact on me has been
very significant. I thank Michael DiSanto for his always thoughtful responses in our
many conversations, and for his trustworthiness: these continue to greatly influence
my own scholarly endeavours. Neil Cruickshank has been an example of tenacity
for just causes, and has also never failed to be available for a chat and a drink when I
most needed them. Cathy Denomme’s office door has always been open for collegial
support, and her friendship has helped me innumerable times throughout the past
decade. I am grateful for the friendship of Alice Ridout; our many discussions of
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x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
academic ideas and principles have forced me to broaden my perspectives in impor-
tant ways. The friendship and comradery of Istvan Imre, Paul Gregory, Marisha
Caswell, Tom O’Flanagan, Pat O’Flanagan, Sofia Silberberg, and Martin Pochtaruk,
Trevor Tchir, Aaron Gordon, Tony Fabiano, and Dave Marasco have been essential
during my time at Algoma.
Several earlier versions of chapters of this book were presented at the Midwest
Conference on British Studies annual meeting. I am thankful for all of the people I
have come to know at the MWCBS during my time as a member of that wonderfully
warm and supportive organisation, and especially for the help and friendship of Lia
Paradis and Eric Tenbus. It was also at the MWCBS that I first met Melinda Zook,
and she remains an academic inspiration, as do Mark Goldie and Ariel Hessayon.
Their willingness to read, discuss, and comment on my work has been vital to any
success it may have had.
I conclude with the most important of all. First, I thank my friend, partner, and
wife, Lisa Parlee, for all of the many things she has given and sacrificed over the past
quarter century. From her thoughtful responses when I discuss ideas with her, to
help and advice with preparing manuscripts, and so many things much more impor-
tant, anything good I have accomplished has been because of her. My parents Ernie
and Olga, have been strong supporters of anything I have chosen to do for as long as
I can remember; I know my mom would have loved to see this book in print, as she
was always the most ardent advocate and champion of me achieving my academic
dreams. My sisters, Bonnie and Karen, have given me so much unconditional love
and care that it is impossible to put into words, and I could not ever hope to repay
all that they have done for me. Finally, this book is dedicated to my son James, and
to the memory of my son Andrew, who died just as the proofs were being prepared:
their love, humour, wit, and companionship has always given me immense joy, and
they both continue to inspire me.
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