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Reciprocity in France [ Political & Moral philosophy ]

… society and political economy after 1750, it shows, first, that its meanings wavered between ‘generosity’ and ‘balanced exchange’; second, that it presupposed a moral equality between the parties involved in exchanges, thereby challenging … pp. 1-43.   French dictionaries did not bother defining the term until 1756. 3  Twelve years later, the Dictionnaire royal, français-anglais et anglais-français tiré des meilleurs auteurs thought it prudent to flag it as ‘a dubious word … des arts et des sciences (Avignon: chez la vve de Fr. Girard, 1756), vol. 2, p. 310. 4 . Abel Boyer, Dictionnaire royal, françois-anglois et anglois-françois tiré des meilleurs auteurs (Basle: chez Jean Schweighauser, 1768), vol. 1, p. …

Samuel Pepys [ Art and Literature / Politics ]

… patterns of sociability across his life. People > Art and Literature People > Politics Keywords London Diaries navy kin Royal Society Tavern Coffeehouse Samuel Pepys’s impressive social rise, chronicled in his diary of the 1660s, owed much … Pal ace of Westminster and adjoining the Houses of Parliament, the Hall was a venue for well-off Londoners to shop and exchange political news. There Pepys would visit the bookseller Ann Mitchell, to buy newsbooks and chat about their … court scandal, and being seen there among nobles and statesmen implicitly raised his status. Across London, at the Royal Exchange in Cheapside and in the surrounding coffeehouses, he was also busy making himself known among the …

Drury Lane [ Sports & Leisure / Cities ]

… Abstract At London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, sociability practices were realized, queried and transformed by actors and audiences. This entry … Places > Cities Keywords performance affect media celebrity acting public Coffeehouse play riot Spaces The name Theatre Royal, Drury Lane refers to a succession of four buildings in the area bordered by Drury Lane, Russell Street, and … raked stage, where their proximity to the audience enabled sympathetic transmission of the passions and nimble verbal exchanges. Actor and theatre manager Colley Cibber felt a loss when the ‘original Form’ of Wren’s theatre was altered. …

William Blake [ Art and Literature ]

… and lived in a thriving metropolis. He went to a drawing school, was apprenticed to an engraver and studied at the Royal Academy. Blake had a close-knit family, many friends, patrons and employers. He was an eclectic reader and … Drawing School (1767-72) and was apprenticed to James Basire (1730-1802), engraver to the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Society. Blake trained as a journeyman engraver and contributed to Richard Gough’s Sepulchral Monuments in Great … between people, 13  but the various economic and social transitions suggest that Blake played an active part in the exchanges. Going by the intersecting clusters of friends, visiting the same places of worship, or using the same …

Giacomo Casanova [ Art and Literature / Travel ]

… wanderer throughout Europe, an adventurer seeking fortune. Casanova made his living by such varied means as organizing a royal lottery, gambling, and at times acting as a confidence man. Even though it is difficult to draw some general … wanderer throughout Europe, an adventurer seeking fortune. Casanova made his living by such varied means as organizing a royal lottery, gambling, and at times acting as a confidence man. A recent autobiographer introduces him as an ‘actor, … especially with women. Spending time in good company, often around a meal seasoned by good story-telling, and witty exchanges, was a crucial and enjoyable aspect described in the History. He valued a table not only for his host’s …