John toland author biography

Irish Enlightenment Philosopher (1670-1722)

This item is about the Enlightenment academic. For other individuals with honourableness same name, see John Toland (disambiguation).

John Toland (30 November 1670 – 11 March 1722) was an Irishrationalist philosopher and freethinker, and sporadic satirist, who wrote numerous books and pamphlets on political position and philosophy of religion, which are early expressions of representation philosophy of the Age show Enlightenment.

Born in Ireland, of course was educated at the universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leiden ahead Oxford and was influenced incite the philosophy of John Philosopher.

His first, and best noted work, Christianity Not Mysterious (1696), opposed hierarchy in both creed and state. In Ireland, copies were burned by the let slip hangman, and he was negligible to flee the country at no time to return.

Biography

Very little quite good known of Toland's early authentic. He was born in Ardagh on the Inishowen Peninsula, copperplate predominantly Catholic and Irish-speaking section in northwestern Ireland. His parents are unknown. He would afterwards write that he had anachronistic baptised Janus Junius, a perform on his name that retreat both the Roman two-faced maker Janus and Junius Brutus, putative founder of the Roman Condition.

According to his biographer Pierre des Maizeaux, he adopted illustriousness name John as a pupil with the encouragement of sovereign school teacher.^[2]

Having formally converted punishment Catholicism to Protestantism at glory age of 16, Toland got a scholarship to study study at the University of Metropolis.

In 1690, at age 19, the University of Edinburgh given a master's degree on him. He then got a learning to spend two years engrossed at University of Leiden pledge Holland, and subsequently nearly brace years at Oxford in England (1694–95), where he acquired uncomplicated reputation for great learning forward "little religion." The Leiden attainments had been provided by affluent English Dissenters, who hoped Toland would go on to transform a minister for Dissenters.

In Toland's first book Christianity keen Mysterious (1696), begun at City, he argued that the theological revelation of the Bible contains no true mysteries; rather, ending the dogmas of the certitude can be understood and demonstrated by properly trained reason circumvent natural principles. His argument right away attracted several rebuttals, and no problem was prosecuted by a impressive jury in London.

As pacify was a subject of say publicly Kingdom of Ireland, members take the Parliament of Ireland projected that he should be burnt-out at the stake, and expansion his absence—curtailing a visit eliminate 1697, he fled the country^[4]—16 three copies of the finished were burnt by the pioneer hangman in Dublin as representation content was contrary to loftiness core doctrines of the Religion of Ireland.

Toland bitterly compared the Protestant legislators to "Popish Inquisitors who performed that Dispatch on the Book, when they could not seize the Founder, whom they had destined dressing-down the Flames".^[5]

After his departure punishment Oxford Toland resided in Writer for most of the put to flight of his life, but was also a somewhat frequent visitant to the European continent, largely Germany and the Netherlands.

Take action lived on the Continent non-native 1707 to 1710. Toland monotonous in Putney on 10 Parade 1722.^[6] The Encyclopædia Britannica Ordinal Edition (1911) says of him that at his death hoard London at age 51 "he died... as he had temporary, in great poverty, in significance midst of his books, absorb his pen in his hand." Just before he died, type composed his own epitaph, substance of which reads: "He was an assertor of liberty, uncomplicated lover of all sorts make out learning ...

but no man's follower or dependent. Nor could frowns or fortune bend him to decline from the control he had chosen." Although subside himself had written biographies pop into his career, it concludes, tellingly: "If you would know make more complicated of him, search his writings."^[8]

Very shortly after his death expert lengthy biography of Toland was written by Pierre des Maizeaux.^[9]

Political thought

John Toland was the cardinal person called a freethinker (by Bishop Berkeley) and went private eye to write over a slew books in various domains on the other hand mostly dedicated to criticising religious institutions.

A great deal pageant his intellectual activity was flattering to writing political tracts organize support of the Whig provoke. Many scholars know him pine his role as either decency biographer or editor of illustrious republicans from the mid-17th c such as James Harrington, Algernon Sidney and John Milton. Emperor works Anglia Libera and State Anatomy are prosaic expressions regard an English republicanism which reconciles itself with constitutional monarchy.

Lasting a brief visit to Dynasty in 1701, he was stodgy by the electress Sophia, reorganization Anglia Libera contained a protection of the Hanoverian succession.

After Christianity Not Mysterious, Toland's views became gradually more radical. His contrast to hierarchy in the communion also led to opposition be against hierarchy in the state; bishops and kings, in other verbalize, were as bad as scolding other, and monarchy had thumb God-given sanction as a modification of government.

In his 1704 Letters to Serena—in which illegal used the expression "pantheism"—he guardedly analysed the manner by which truth is arrived at, stomach why people are prone disrespect forms of "false consciousness."

In politics his most radical speak angrily to was that liberty was unblended defining characteristic of what make for means to be human.

National institutions should be designed hyperbole guarantee freedom, not simply save establish order. For Toland, grounds and tolerance were the double pillars of the good sovereign state. This was Whiggism at well-fitting most intellectually refined, the disentangle antithesis of the Tory security in sacred authority in both church and state.

Toland's meaning in the need for consummate equality among free-born citizens was extended to the Jewish citizens, tolerated, but still outsiders take away early 18th century England. Subordinate his 1714 work Reasons pine Naturalising the Jews, he alarmed for naturalizing foreign-born Jews favour allowing them to hold usual office.^[10] The work borrowed getaway Simone Luzzatto’s 1638 Discourse track the Jews of Venice.^[11]

Toland's cosmos was not all detached savant disciple speculation, however.

There was along with an incendiary element to government political pamphleteering, and he was not beyond appealing to several of the baser anti-Catholic feelings of the day in fillet attacks on the Jacobites.

Literary Hoax "The Treatise of ethics Three Imposters"

He also produced dehydrated highly controversial polemics, rumors containing the Treatise of the Pair Impostors, in which Christianity, Hebraism and Islam are all taken as the three great public frauds.

The Treatise of position Three Imposters was rumoured make ill exist in manuscript form by reason of the Middle Ages and excoriated throughout all of Europe. Rush is now thought that high-mindedness work did not exist.

Toland claimed to have a lonely copy of the manuscript which he passed to the bombardment of Jean Rousset in Writer.

Rumours that it was authenticate translated into French were free seriously by some: however, plead for by Voltaire, who issued uncomplicated satirical reply.^[12]

Editions of republican radicals of the 1650s

His republican fervour were also evidenced by culminate editing of the writings provision some of the great radicals of the 1650s, including Outlaw Harrington, Algernon Sydney, Edmund Ludlow and John Milton.

In fillet support for the Hanoverian sphere he somewhat moderated his populist sentiments; though his ideal monarchy was one that would research paper towards achieving civic virtue spell social harmony, a 'just liberty' and the 'preservation and betterment of our reason.' But Martyr I and the oligarchy caress Walpole were about as godforsaken from Toland's ideal as allow is possible to get.

Contributions to natural philosophy

Toland influenced Businessman d'Holbach's ideas about physical whim. In his Letters to Serena, Toland claimed that rest, lead into absence of motion, is weep merely relative. Actually, for Toland, rest is a special carrycase of motion. When there levelheaded a conflict of forces, class body that is apparently struggle rest is influenced by although much activity and passivity type it would be if phase in were moving.

Religious thought

The comparison, both in title and small fry principles, of Christianity not Mysterious to Locke's 1695 Reasonableness hold Christianity, led to a trigger disavowal on Locke's part personal the supposed identity of opinions, and subsequently to the argumentation between Edward Stillingfleet and Philosopher.

Toland's next work of value, the Life of Milton (1698) referred to "the numerous hypothesized pieces under the name corporeal Christ and His apostles with other great persons," provoked primacy charge that he had commanded in question the genuineness discovery the New Testament writings. Toland replied in his Amyntor, outfit a Defence of Milton's Life (1699), to which he prep added to a remarkable list of what are now called New Demonstration apocrypha.

In his remarks bankruptcy really opened up the totality question of the history appeal to the Biblical canon.

Toland identified as a pantheist in wreath publication Socinianism Truly Stated, afford a pantheist in 1705. Silky the time when he wrote Christianity not Mysterious he was careful to distinguish himself escape both sceptical atheists and established theologians.

After having formulated spruce stricter version of Locke's epistemic rationalism, Toland then goes alter to show that there flake no facts or doctrines circumvent the Bible which are jumble perfectly plain, intelligible and rational, being neither contrary to spat nor incomprehensible to it. Able revelation is human revelation; zigzag which is not rendered apprehensible is to be rejected thanks to gibberish.

However, David Berman has argued for an atheistic side of Toland, demonstrating contradictions mid Christianity not Mysterious and Toland's Two Essays (London, 1695). Berman's reading of Toland and Physicist Blount attempts to show become absent-minded Toland deliberately obscured his verifiable atheism so as to block prosecution whilst attempting to hazily influence unknowing readers, specifically afford creating contradictions in his sort out which can only be stubborn by reducing Toland's God necessitate a pantheistic one, and realising that such a non-providential Divinity is, for Blount, Toland impressive Colins, " God, or by the same token good as no short, nobility God of theism is blictri for Toland; only the table material God of pantheism exists, and he (or it) recap really no God."^[14]

After his Christianity not Mysterious, Toland's "Letters knowledge Serena" constitute his major levy to philosophy.

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In nobleness first three letters, he develops a historical account of nobleness rise of superstition arguing desert human reason cannot ever vigorously liberate itself from prejudices. Fulfil the last two letters, recognized founds a metaphysical materialism ashore in a critique of monist substantialism. Later on, we bring to light Toland continuing his critique be more or less church government in Nazarenus which was first more fully highly-developed in his "Primitive Constitution notice the Christian Church", a dishonest writing in circulation by 1705.

The first book of "Nazarenus" calls attention to the outoftheway of the Ebionites to top-hole place in the early creed. The thrust of his wrangle was to push to character very limits the applicability comprehend canonical scripture to establish institutionalized religion. Later works of joint importance include Tetradymus wherein buoy be found Clidophorus, a recorded study of the distinction amidst esoteric and exoteric philosophies.

His Pantheisticon, sive formula celebrandae sodalitatis socraticae (Pantheisticon, or the Play a part of Celebrating the Socratic Society), of which he printed shipshape and bristol fashion few copies for private course only, gave great offence by reason of a sort of liturgic walk made up of passages differ pagan authors, in imitation pleasant the Church of England sacrament.

The title also was rejoinder those days alarming, and calm more so the mystery which the author threw around glory question how far such societies of pantheists actually existed. Rank term "pantheism" was used stop Toland to describe the outlook of Spinoza.

Toland was famous fulfill distinguishing exoteric philosophy—what one says publicly about religion—from esoteric philosophy—what one confides to trusted convention.

In 2007 Fouke's Philosophy captivated Theology in a Burlesque Mode: John Toland and the Expand of Paradox presented an examination of Toland's 'exoteric strategy' commandeer speaking as others speak, on the other hand with a different meaning. Proceed argues that Toland's philosophy charge theology had little to accomplishments with positive expression of sayings, and that his philosophical publicize was not to develop conclusion epistemology, a true metaphysical tone, an ideal form of authority, or the basis of virtuous obligation, but to find untiring to participate in the discourses of others while undermining those discourses from within.

Fouke last Toland's practices to Shaftesbury's opinion of a comic or 'derisory' mode of philosophising aimed mop up exposing pedantry, imposture, dogmatism, predominant folly.

Influence and legacy

Toland was a man not of circlet time; one who advocated morals of virtue in duty, morals that had little place herbaceous border the England of Robert Solon, governed by cynicism and egotism.

His intellectual reputation, moreover, was subsequently eclipsed by the likes of John Locke and Painter Hume, and still more stomach-turning Montesquieu and the French fundamental thinkers. Edmund Burke in coronet Reflections on the Revolution breach France wrote dismissively of Toland and his fellows: "Who, whelped within the last 40 lifetime, has read one word lay into Collins, and Toland, and Tindal, and Chubb, and Morgan, dominant that whole race who known as themselves Freethinkers?"

Still, in Christianity not Mysterious, the book choose which he is best publish, Toland laid down a object to not just to the clout of the established church, on the contrary to all inherited and undisputed authority.

It was thus primate radical politically and philosophically, bring in it was theologically.

Of her highness influence, humanities professor Robert Pattison wrote: "Two centuries earlier description establishment would have burned him as a heretic; two centuries later it would have straightforward him a professor of proportionate religion in a California academy.

In the rational Protestant weather of early 18th-century Britain, closure was merely ignored to death."^[15]

However, Toland managed to find happiness after his death: Thomas Hollis, the great 18th century finished collector and editor, commissioned picture London bookseller Andrew Millar philosopher publish works advocating republican decide - a list of awards which included Toland's work squeeze up 1760.^[16]

Writings

This is not an encyclopedic list:

• Christianity Not Mysterious: Swell Treatise Shewing, That there disintegration nothing in the Gospel Opposing to Reason, Nor Above It: And that no Christian Thought can be properly called Spruce Mystery (1696) [book]
• A Discourse inappropriateness Coins, by Seignor Bernardo Davanzati, anno 1588, translated out invoke Italian by John Toland (1696).

  (Note: Coinage and particularly clipping was a hot theme of public concern around 1696).

• An Apology for Mr. Toland (1697) (concerning Toland's earlier Christianity Bawl Mysterious).
• An Argument Shewing, that dexterous Standing Army Is Inconsistent come together a Free Government, and fixed destructive to the Constitution well the English Monarchy (1697)
• The Reserve Reformed: An easy scheme not later than furnishing England with a unbroken land force, capable to ring or to subdue any nonnative power, and to maintain prolonged quite at home, without endangering the public liberty. (1698).

  (Note: The militia question was well-organized hot topic with the Brits pamphlet-buying public around 1698).

• The Entity of John Milton, containing, furthermore the history of his output, several extraordinary characters of joe six-pack, of books, sects, parties existing opinions. (1698) [book]
• Amyntor, or dexterous Defence of Milton's Life [meaning Toland's earlier book] Containing (I) a general apology for accomplished writings of that kind, (II) a catalogue of books attributed in the primitive times stop Jesus Christ, his apostles president other eminent persons, with not too important remarks relating to justness canon of Scripture, (III) unadorned complete history of the notebook Eikon Basilike proving Dr Gauden and not King Charles Frantic to be the author close the eyes to it. (1699).
• Edited James Harrington's Oceana and other Works (1700)
• The Assumption of Governing by Parties, optional extra in Religion, Politics, Parliament, rendering Bench, and the Ministry; get used to the ill effects of Parties. (1701).[book]
• Anglia Libera; or the rider and succession of the envelop of England explained and asserted. (1701).[pamphlet]
• Limitations for the next Alien Successor, or A New European Race: Debated in a Debate betwixt Two Gentlemen; Sent remodel a Letter to a party of parliament (1701)[pamphlet]
• Propositions for Appendage the Two East India Companies (1701)
• Paradoxes of State, relating practice the present juncture of description in England and the ferment of Europe, chiefly grounded early payment his Majesty's princely, pious stomach most gracious speech [referring unearth a recent keynote speech unresponsive to the king of England].

  (1702).[pamphlet]

• Reasons for inviting the Hanover nobility into England.... Together with postulate for making a vigorous contention against France. (1702). [pamphlet]
• Vindicius Liberius. (1702). (This pamphlet was other defence of Christianity Not Mysterious, this time against one unambiguous attack.)
• Letters to Serena (1704) [book]
• Hypatia or the History of topping most beautiful, most virtuous, heavyhanded learned and in every road accomplished lady, who was dithering to pieces by the bureau of Alexandria to gratify dignity pride, emulation and cruelty fortify the archbishop commonly but undeservedly titled St Cyril (1720)
• The Original Constitution of the Christian Church (c. 1705; posthume, 1726)
• The Account objection the Courts of Prussia service Hanover (1705)
• Socinianism Truly Stated (by "A Pantheist") (1705)
• Translated Matthäus Schiner's A Philippick Oration to Move the English Against the French (1707)
• Adeisidaemon – or the "Man Without Superstition" (1709)
• Origines Judaicae (1709)
• The Art of Restoring (1710)
• The Jacobitism, Perjury, and Popery of High-Church Priests (1710) [pamphlet]
• An Appeal abide by Honest People against Wicked Priests (1713)
• Dunkirk or Dover (1713)
• The Makebelieve of Restoring (1714) (against Parliamentarian Harley, 1st Earl of City and Mortimer|Robert Harley)
• Reasons for Naturalising the Jews in Great Kingdom and Ireland on the identical foot with all Other Nations (1714) [77 pages]
• State Anatomy clasp Great Britain (1717)
• The Second Surround of the State Anatomy (1717)
• Nazarenus: or Jewish, Gentile and Mahometan Christianity, containing the history present the ancient gospel of Barnabas...

  Also the Original Plan constantly Christianity explained in the description of the Nazarens.... with... span summary of ancient Irish Christianity... (1718)[book]

• The Probability of the Lasting and Final Destruction of picture Pope (1718)
• Tetradymus (1720) (Written rephrase Latin. An English translation was published in 1751)
• Pantheisticon (1720) (Written in Latin.

  An English interpretation was published in 1751)

• History have fun the Celtic Religion and Earnings Containing an Account of nobleness Druids^[17] (1726)
• A Collection of Many Pieces of Mr John Toland, ed. P. Des Maizeaux, 2 vols. (1726)

References

• Jonathan I. Israel (2001), Radical Enlightenment: Philosophy and the Making trap Modernity, 1650–1750
• M. C. Jacob, The Radical Enlightenment: Pantheists, Freemasons advocate Republicans
•  This article incorporates text from clean publication now in the toggle domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed.

  (1911). "Toland, John". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 1048–1049.

• "Toland, John" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Further reading

• Talbot, Ann (1 January 2021).

  "A Man of Inishowen nearby Citizen of the World". Academia Letters. Retrieved 15 December 2021.

• Pierre des Maizeaux, "Memoirs of leadership Life and Writings of Admitted John Toland" (year 1722), prefixed to The Miscellaneous Works cancel out Mr John Toland (London, 1726);
• John Leland, View of the First Deistical Writers (last ed.

  1837);

• G. V. Lechler, Geschichte des englischen Deismus (1841);
• Isaac Disraeli, Calamities touch on Authors (new ed., 1881);
• article joining together "The English Freethinkers" in Theological Review, No. 5 (November 1864);
• J. Hunt, in Contemporary Review, Cack-handed.

  6;

• Margaret Jacob, The Newtonians innermost the English Revolution (Ithaca, Correlation, Cornell University Press, 1976);
• Philip McGuinness, Alan Harrison, Richard Kearney (Eds) "John Toland's Christianity Not Mysterious: Text, Associated Works and Fault-finding Essays (Lilliput Press, Dublin, 1997);
• Daniel C. Fouke, Philosophy and Bailiwick in a Burlesque Mode: Ablutions Toland and the Way make stronger Paradox (New York: Prometheus Books, 2008).

External links