Science and Culture in the XVIII-th Century

During the eighteenth century and culture reflected the tremendous changes which took place in the economic and political life of English society. By the end of the century the most important aspects of feudalism had vanished from the English economic and social scene.

Science at this period was in a favourable position and many notable developments took place not only in the field of industrial science but also in medicine, physics, mathematics, astronomy. Isaac Newton observed and showed the complex movement of the celestial bodies. His gravitational theory had a tremendous impact on natural science and the old cosmology theory was doomed. Newton proved that on the basis of his theory it was possible not only to calculate the moon's revolution round the earth, its orbit but velocity as well. Newton's name became associated with scientific determinism which gave a powerful fillip to scientific research in the 18-th century.

Of the philosophers of the 18-th century we are to note David Hume. In 1748 he published his "Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding", a book which was quite well-known among the educated circles of society.

The 18-th century was the age of classicism both in architecture and art. Of the architects of the time most well-known were James Gibbs and the Adam brothers. Having studied in Rome, Gibbs admired the baroque element in Wren and continued the tradition of the great master. Most typical of his creations were the church of Martin-in-the-Fields in London built between 1722 and 1726 and the Radcliffe Camera at Oxford built between 1739 and 1749.Robert and James Adam were much adventurous, their style being a modified compound of many others. The biggest venture of the Adam brothers was the Adelphi in London, a long terrace of houses built over Roman arches and vaults facing the Thames.

In the 18-th century it was commonly established that architecture should follow the ancient rules, codified by the sixteenth century Italian Palladio, and practised by the Inigo Jones. The call was back to the classical simplicity of Jones. Attention was paid to interior decoration. In this respect we may also mention the names of William Kent and

Thomas Chippendale. The latter was a celebrated cabinet-maker producing beautiful, elegant and remarkably comfortable furniture.

Sculpture in the 18-th century was also influenced by antique. Many of the houses of the rich were adorned with classical sculpture.

In the 18-th century the English drama is associated with the name of David Garrick, an actor and playwright. Sarah Siddons also adorned the stage.

English painting of the 18-th century is represented by a brilliant galaxy of such names as William Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough and William Blake. Hogarth was the supreme painter of the first half of the 18-th century, and from him we can learn more about London life of the period than from any other source. Hogarth refused to copy the old masters and introduced his own method described by his contemporaries as the “modern moral subject” that was didactic in content. He played a major role in the development of realism in English art.

In 1768 the Royal Academy was founded in England to promote and encourage the development of arts with Joshua Reynolds as its first President. Though he studied the Italian masters for three years in Italy he didn't copy the Grand Style. He made portraits of the prominent people of his time. His best creations are “The Tragic Muse” which is the portrait of Sarah Siddons, “The Strawberry Girl” and “Master Bunbury”. The monumental manner of Reynolds was very different from that of Gainsborough, who never went to Italy. Reynolds was a townsman, Gainsborough a countryman whose heart was in landscape.

English literature of the 18-th century may be characterized as the literature of Enlightenment. The English Enlightenment believed that education could remodel society and transform the individual. The main representatives of the English Enlightenment are: Joseph Addison, Richard Steele, Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson, Jonathan Swift, Henry Fielding, Oliver Goldsmith.