Sir Thomas More: or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society, by Robert Southey Or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society

In 1829 Robert Southey published a book of his imaginary conversations with the original Utopian: Sir Thomas More; or Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society. The product of almost two decades of social and political engagement, Colloquies is Southey’s most important late prose work, and a key text of late 'Lake School' Romanticism. It is Southey’s own Espriella’s Letters (1807) reimagined as a dialogue of tory and radical selves; Coleridge’s Church and State (1830) cast in historical dramatic form. Over a series of wide-ranging conversations between the Ghost of More and his own Spanish alter-ego, ‘Montesinos’, Southey develops a richly detailed panorama of British history since the 1530s– from the Reformation to Catholic Emancipation. Exploring issues of religious toleration, urban poverty, and constitutional reform, and mixing the genres of dialogue, commonplace book, and picturesque guide, the Colloquies became a source of challenge and inspiration for important Victorian writers including Macaulay, Ruskin, Pugin and Carlyle.

Volume I List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Preface Robert Southey: A Selective Chronology 1808-1843 List of Abbreviations Introduction Progress and Prospects: Colloquies and Romantic History The Social Context: Southey and Robert Owen Origins and Composition Publication and Reception This Edition Note on the text and editorial procedures Sir Thomas More; or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society (1829) Volume I Dedication Preface I. Introduction II. The Improvement Of The World III. The Druidical Stones.—Visitations Of Pestilence IV. Feudal Slavery.—Growth Of Pauperism V. Decay of the Feudal System.—Edward VI.—Alfred VI. Walla Crag.—Owen Of Lanark VII. The Manufacturing System.—Part II. VIII. Steam.—War.—Prospects Of Europe IX. Derwentwater.—Catholic Emancipation.—Ireland Volume II X. Crosthwaite Church.—St. Kentigern.—Part II.—The Reformation.—Dissenters.—Methodists XI. Infidelity.—Church Establishment XII. Blencathra.—Threlkeld Tarn.—The Cliffords.—Part II.—Privileged Orders.—The American Governments XIII. The River Greta.—Trade.—Population.—Colonies. XIV. The Library XV. The Conclusion Appendix Notes and Illustrations Volume II Editorial Notes Appendix A: Reviews of Colloquies Appendix B: A note on ‘Montesinos’, Southey’s name in Colloquies Appendix C: Southey’s sources for Colloquies (edited from the Sale Catalogue of his library) Index

Dr Tom Duggett is Associate Professor in English Literature at Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University, Suzhou, China.