Typologies in England, 1650-1820

489 Pages·1983·40.433 MB·English

by  Paul J. Korshin

TYPOLOGIES IN ENGLAND
1650-1820

TypologieS
in England
1650-1820
PAUL J. KORSHIN
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
PRESS
Copyright © 1982 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press,
Guildford, Surrey
All Rights Reserved
Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from
the Paul Mellon Fund of Princeton University Press
This book has been composed in Linotype Baskerville
Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books
are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are
chosen for strength and durability
Printed in the United States of America by
Princeton University Press,
Princeton, New Jersey
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Korshin, Paul J., 1939-
Typologies in England, 1650-1820.
Bibliography: p. Includes index.
1. English literature—18th century—History and criticism.
2. Symbolism in literature. 3. Typology (Theology)—
History of doctrines. 4. Bible—Criticism, interpre­
tation, etc.—England—History. 5. Christianity and
literature. 6. English literature—History and criticism.
I. Title. PR448.S94K6 82o'.g'i5 81-47139
ISBN 0-691-06485-7 AACR2
To rDebra J. Thomas
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK.
"What neat repast shall feast us, light and choice
Of Attic taste, with Wine . . . ?"
Milton, Sonnet XXI

CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IX
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Xlii
ABBREVIATIONS AND SHORT TITLES XVli
1. Introduction: The Typological Propensity 3
2. The Possibilities and Limits of Typology 16
3. Figural Change and the Survival of Typological
Tradition 39
4. Typology as System 75
5. The Development of Abstracted Typology 101
6. TypologyandMyth 133
7. Typology and the Novel 186
8. Typology and Satire 269
9. Typology and Prophecy 328
10. The Typology of Everyday Life 369
11. Typology: A Bibliographical Essay 396
INDEX 409

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
(following page no)
1. Emblem of a snake, from George Wither, A Collection of Em-
blemes, Ancient and Moderne. . . . (London, 1635). The Brit­
ish Library.
2. Moses on Mount Pisgah or Mount Zion receiving a vision, from
Wither, A Collection of Emblemes. The British Library.
3. Emblem of a palm tree, from Wither, A Collection of Emblemes.
The British Library.
4. A schematic drawing (Iconis: V) showing how the pagan deities
derive from a small set of pre-Christian types, from Athanasius
Kircher, Obeliscus Pamphilus (Rome, 1650). The British Li­
brary.
5. Untitled engraving (c. 1650) comprising illustrations of various
typological passages from the Old and New Testament. The
Peel Collection, Volume I. The Pierpont Morgan Library.
6. "Statui Isidis Multimammae," from Athanasius Kircher, Oedipus
^Egyptiacus, 3 vols, in 4 (Rome, 1652-54), Volume I. The Brit­
ish Library.
7. "Iconismus Inferendus," from Kircher, Oedipus /Egyptiacus, Vol­
ume II. The British Library.
8. "Jouis sive Panos Hieroglyphica reprzcsentatio," from Kircher,
Oedipus /Egyptiacus, Volume II. The British Library.
9· "Typus Nonnullarum Herbarum," from Kircher, Oedipus Egyp­
tiacus, Volume III. The British Library.
to. Engraved title page to Thomas Fuller, A Pisgah-sight of Pales­
tine and the Confines Thereof, . . . (London, 1662). The Brit­
ish Library.
11. "The Mysterious Calendar" (1704), from The Peel Collection,
Volume I. The Pierpont Morgan Library.
12. Frontispiece to Samuel Wesley, The History of the Old and
New Testament attempted in Verse, 3 vols. (London, 1705-21),
Volume I. The British Library.
13 Frontispiece to Volume III of the same work. The British
Library.
14. "Christian leaves the City of Destruction," from The Pilgrim's
Progress, . . . , 22nd ed. (London, 1728). The British Library.