Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- Chronology of Jones's Life
- 1 A Barbaric Oriental Conqueror (to 1770)
- 2 Delicate Arab Maidens and Liquid Ruby (1770–1772)
- 3 Persian Jones and Constitutional Law (1772–1777)
- 4 The Athenian and Eleutherion (1778–1780)
- 5 An Ass Laden with Gold (1780)
- 6 Politics: Writings and Activism (1780–1782)
- 7 James River Property (1782–1783)
- 8 A Vision in the Indian Ocean (1783–1785)
- 9 A Sacred Oriental Language (1785)
- 10 A Genetic Explanation: Indo-European (1786–1787)
- 11 Sanskrit Literary Treasures (1787–1788)
- 12 An Indian Renaissance (1789)
- 13 A Burning Tropical Sun (1790–1791)
- 14 Scholar-Martyr (1791–1794)
- 15 Jones Today
- Appendix Five New Letters by Jones
- Notes
- Selected Bibliography
- Index
6 - Politics: Writings and Activism (1780–1782)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- Chronology of Jones's Life
- 1 A Barbaric Oriental Conqueror (to 1770)
- 2 Delicate Arab Maidens and Liquid Ruby (1770–1772)
- 3 Persian Jones and Constitutional Law (1772–1777)
- 4 The Athenian and Eleutherion (1778–1780)
- 5 An Ass Laden with Gold (1780)
- 6 Politics: Writings and Activism (1780–1782)
- 7 James River Property (1782–1783)
- 8 A Vision in the Indian Ocean (1783–1785)
- 9 A Sacred Oriental Language (1785)
- 10 A Genetic Explanation: Indo-European (1786–1787)
- 11 Sanskrit Literary Treasures (1787–1788)
- 12 An Indian Renaissance (1789)
- 13 A Burning Tropical Sun (1790–1791)
- 14 Scholar-Martyr (1791–1794)
- 15 Jones Today
- Appendix Five New Letters by Jones
- Notes
- Selected Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Jones faithfully attended the Club in late 1780: on 31 October; 14, 21, 28 November; and 12 December. He only attended seven of the sixteen meetings of 1781, and six of the sixteen in 1782. As his resolution had authorized expansion to thirty-five members, the meeting of 21 November 1780 was important. However, Bishop Beilby Porteus and Earl Camden were black balled: “When Bishops and Chancellors honour us with offering to dine with us at a tavern, it seems very extraordinary that we should ever reject such an offer; but there is no reasoning on the caprice of men” (1:451). Camden's hopes may have been compromised years before, when Goldsmith had complained that Camden had paid him no notice at a gathering, and Johnson had answered that Camden should not have neglected Goldsmith.
No bishop had ever been elected directly; Barnard had been consecrated when a member. Now Jones nominated Shipley, the second friend whom he added to the Club. The nomination of a Whig extremist naturally raised the question of Johnson, though the two were social acquaintances. Jones still recalled a night at Shipley's, when Johnson remained silent at dinner and then poured forth invective against music: “Montboddo could hardly get in a word, and was indignant, nor has his indignation yet ceased” (1:359).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Life and Mind of Oriental JonesSir William Jones, the Father of Modern Linguistics, pp. 141 - 170Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1991