John Thelwall, Letter to Henry Cline, Esq. on Imperfect Developments of the Faculties, Mental and Moral, as well as Constitutional and Organic; and on the Treatment of Impediments of Speech

Molly Desjardins (University of Northern Colorado)

Ed. by Daniel Robinson, Widener University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.06: English Writing and Culture of the Romantic Period, 1789-1837.
Vol. editors: Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Daniel Robinson (Widener University)

Domains

Education
Language & Linguistics

Dates

First circulation or publication 1810

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Resources

Introduction to Thelwall and the Letter

Tried for treason in 1794, and hunted like a “Jacobin fox” after his acquittal, John Thelwall was notorious in his own time for his continued pursuit of free speech and social association even in the face of government repression (Thompson 156). Though Thelwall is better known to history as an outspoken political reformer, in late 1797, after being violently pursued in print and in person for his convictions, Thelwall claimed to “retire” from politics. He became a farmer, poet, and then a successful elocutionist, a career he pursued until his death in 1834. During his elocutionary career, Thelwall taught students in his home, gave lectures, and wrote several treatises o…

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2057 words

Citation: Desjardins, Molly. "Letter to Henry Cline, Esq. on Imperfect Developments of the Faculties, Mental and Moral, as well as Constitutional and Organic; and on the Treatment of Impediments of Speech". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 December 2011 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=7175, accessed 25 April 2024.]

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