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Keywords

Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, John Dalton, Manchester

Abstract

In writing his extensive History, Directory, and Gazetteer of the County Palatine of Lancaster, Edward Baines wrote, "When the increase of wealth and population lead to the establishment of societies for the improvement of the mind and the extension of science, they produce their legitimate influence; of this nature is the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society." The Lit and Phil, as it was most commonly known, was established in 1781 as a society intended for the discussion of topics as diverse as experimental chemistry and the commercial arts. The Lit and Phil was unique in that it was begun in the midst of the radical changes that transformed Manchester from a small town to the leading industrial city of a nation, if not the entire world. The theoretical, philosophical, and practical issues of rapid industrialization and demographic growth constantly presented themselves as topics of inquiry to the intellectuals that comprised the Lit and Phil. However, the Lit and Phil became increasingly focused on subjects of natural science as time passed, to the exclusion of not only history and philosophy, but also education, industry, engineering, public health, and political economy- topics which were increasingly relevant and pressing in Manchester. This changing focus is evidenced by the decline in the number of Lit and Phil publications dedicated to Manchester-relevant topics and the increase in publications dedicated to topics of natural philosophy. This shift in focus at first resulted from changing patters of participation among the members of the Lit and Phil. However, beginning in 1796 the Lit and Phil began to be dominated by the presence of John Dalton. His influence and subsequent leadership of the LIt and Phil changed the intellectual discourse of the society by solidifying its emphasis on topics of natural philosophy.

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