Edward Gibbon F.R.S.: Early historical sciences, maurist erudition and related scholarship, 17th–20th c

Abstract

Edward Gibbon ‡ (1737–1794) prepared over many years to write his classic six-volume history, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire § . The indisputable quality of his work (at the time) rested first, on his choice of reliable references and second, on the excellence of his English prose. Some elements of the former, when described, have the imprint of natural philosophy or early science—for example, the taking of collections of manuscripts and carefully comparing details to establish what is true or false (or often fabulous) and thus leading to the creation of palaeographic science. This kind of procedure led to a great output of Maurist (Benedictine) erudite work through the late 17th and into the early 18th c. A huge academic “industry” developed over the years and gave rise to a large research body of scholars. Relatively little about this Maurist activity is to be found in English language historical writings so here we endeavour to raise the curtain on it for the benefit of scientists-engineers who have come to have an interest in the historical sciences. The works of scholars with different monastical and other backgrounds contemporary with that of the Maurists, which Gibbon made great use of, are referred to. As English historiography seems somewhat reticent on the topic of Maurist learning, we include a short account of the life and works of Benedictines Mabillon and Montfaucon, and less so, we take note of a score of other érudits such as Muratori, Tillemont, Cluwer, D'Anville and less well known scholars. ‡ See, Edward Gibbon and George Grote: A Bicentenary in Common, by W. Johnson. Notes and Records, R. Soc., London, 48(2), pp. 271–276, 1994. § Sometimes, this is abbreviated to “ D and F”.