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The Early English Text Society (EETS) was founded in 1864 by F. J. Furnivall, who was fascinated by medieval texts and their insights into social history. This first volume of the EETS's history offers much new material concerning Furnivall's biography as a young man, as well his association with figures including Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites.
List of contents
- Introduction
- PART 1: From Tory to Socialist: 1825-1858
- 1: Early years: 1825-1842
- 2: Furnivall at Cambridge: 1842-1848
- 3: Lincoln's Inn and the London Working Men and Women: 1846-1852
- 4: Christian Socialism and Socialising: Prelude to the Working Men's College: 1851-1853
- 5: Beginnings of the Working Men's College: 1854-1857
- 6: Slander and Strife: Disagreements within the Working Men's College: 1857-1858
- PART 2 How a Lincoln's Inn Lawyer became an 'Editor of Old Books': 1858-1864
- 7: Furnivall and the Philological Society of London
- 8: Furnivall's first editions: 'Wicked Birds,' Handling Sin, and 'Rose-Pink Notions'
- 9: The Philological Society and the beginnings of the EETS
- Appendix 1: Correspondence relating to the appearance and history of Great Fosters House
- Appendix 2: An account by a schoolboy of a visit to the Working Men's College, October, 1857, with a report of the address given by John Ruskin
- Bibliography
About the author
Helen Spencer has taught medieval English language and literature as a Fellow of Exeter College, and Lecturer at the University of Oxford since 1992. She has been involved with the running of the EETS since 1991 (Executive Secretary), as Editorial Secretary for 31 years (1992-2023), and now as Honorary Director.
Summary
The Early English Text Society (EETS) was founded in 1864 by F. J. Furnivall, who was fascinated by medieval texts and their insights into social history. This first volume of the EETS's history offers much new material concerning Furnivall's biography as a young man, as well his association with figures including Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites.
