Samuel Madden, Memoirs of the Twentieth Century (1733)

• Samuel Madden, Memoirs of the Twentieth Century (1733). ECCO Anglistikserver Oldenburg

Contents / Excerpt

maybe we manage to do this together - we'll be a step further if we can create a simple list of interesting pages with brief notes what information they contain. --Olaf Simons 15:29, 1 November 2007 (CET)

Letters

pp. 132-153: London, Chelsea, Dec. 19, 1997

pp. 153-183: Mesce?, Jan. 27, 1997

pp. 183-214: Constantinople, Feb. 25, 1997

pp. 285-307: Paris, Feb. 8 1997

pp. 208-(?): Constantinople, April 16, 1998

church

p. 152 "poor deserted Greek church"

pp. 154-174 The Muscovites, who belonged to the Greek church, are on their way to Rome. The Jesuits have overcome opposition and have made changes in their religious doctrines and rites, making them compatible with theirs. It is then explained how the Jesuits did this. "The Greek church will soon veil her Mitre, to the Pope’s Triple Crown." (p.154) The Jesuits gained respect with the Czar and the religious officials. (pp. 161-2) "The pious Fathers prepare the way for the papal authority by encouraging learning among the Nobility and Clergy of Russia." (p.173)

p. 175 The Czar passed a law stating that no one may work on Sunday and all should attend church.

p. 176-8 The people have developed a mixed religion comparable to the Tartars and Morduites (both who are Jews and Christians, but are still pagans). The hope is that "this deluge of Infidelity, overspreading and overturning the old Foundations settled here in this Church, may contribute and give opportunity to the building up the papal Authority amidst the ruins and destructions of both". The plan is that "in so terrible a confusion, Rome and the worst of her corruptions will be preferred by the Clergy themselves, and all that have any remainder of Piety left, to no Religion at all".

p. 185 The patriarch and several Greek priests are miserable in Constantinople. Pensions, clergy and books from England would be welcome.

pp. 209-10 An African sect of Mahometans called Bumicilli believe they have "a knowledge of, and conversation with aerial Beings, and are engag’d in perpetual war with the Devils," but the correspondent believes they are actually vagrant thieves, fighting imaginary devils for a price.

pp. 292-296 Madden talks about the "low ebb of Religion" (p.292) in France set off by "the pretended heads of this Church, (...who) are picked out to disunite and disturb it (the Christian Sheepfold), in hopes thereby to shake the foundations of the Papal Power" (p. 295). Thus "Temporal Peers, and the Dukes and Barons of those places; who have these Preferments bestowed on them for life, as Pensions to oppose the Pope, and maintain the Quarrel of the Crown." (p.295) are treated with contempt on all occasions both by "the blind Infidelity of the Laity" and "the cold indifference and want of Zeal in some" (p.295) for their immoral and luxurious lives.

state

pp. 186-193 New laws and regulations issued to prevent the spread of plagues. The preventative measures are interesting, for example certain trades should be evenly dispersed because they "are apt to infect the air" or wild dogs should be destroyed and a tax paid on house cats because they spread and breed infectious diseases.

p. 194 All houses should be "built of one equal heighth and uniform model," which should keep streets neat and pleasing to the eye.

p. 195-6 Law that if a house goes to ruin, it is forfeited to the Grand Seignor and sold at a low price to anyone who will rebuild it.

p. 196 Regulations to brew "pure and unmixed wine".

p. 197 Law: severe penalties to anyone outside after one o’clock in order to prevent "Murders, robberies and Debaucheries of all kinds".

pp. 197 Conclusion that although there may be many advantages to an absolute monarchy like the one in Turkey, a limited monarchy is better. England is no "Empire of Slaves" and it does not make Gods of its ruler. The English are not dangerous to the state because they are "bound by Rules they have feely consented to".

pp.285-292 Several new laws have been introduced in France to stop its moral downfall and "bring both the Clergy and the Nobility, to the legal restraints of Duty and Allegiance to the King." (p.285) - they had been using state money for their own interest and led an extremely dissipated life (ironic/sarcastic description of French fashion, food, music, mute servants from Turkey pp.300-304): p.287edict, that a male person between 30yrs and 50yrs can only hold a profitable employment or pension if he is married (to ban gentlemen's pleasures and debaucheries) p.288 "Women shall be entitled for life, on full proof of the fact, to the third part of the Person's Estate who debauches her." Penalties are laid on all unwholesome nurses. p.290-292 edict, constituing seven commissioners with high salary sworn to examine all public accounts of the nation, to prevent the continual frauds in managing the finances.

arts and sciences

pp. 141-6 Royal College at St. George at Oxford (description, improvements, and new regulations; prestigious college; four new professors: for agriculture and gardening, for weather (important discovery- quite exact weather engines pp. 143-4), for trades and mechanical arts.

pp. 146-8 Royal Printing House (no technological improvement; still use types), different topics of books

pp. 149-152 University life and structure

p. 162 The Jesuits convinced the Czar to open 200 schools for the Muscovite youth and improved university education by giving premiums.

pp. 168-9 The bishop should have a library for his clergy in order to improve their literacy.

p. 183 The corresponder receives gifts: telescope, Carolina white wine, and silks.

pp. 194-5 Schools opened for the instruction of sports.

pp. 204-8 Correspondent sends two manuscripts in arabic, which were probably written in the 10th century: a translation of many of Cicero’s Tusculan questions and two books of Cicero’s De Gloria. Another manuscript is an arabic translation of Trogus Pompeius’s History of the World in forty-four books. These manuscripts are being sent to be translated into Latin and to restore the "Commonwealth of Learning".

trade

p. 176 Catholic bankers and traders helped the Russians set up more trade and manufacturing centers, which has brought wealth into the country.

taxes

pp. 163-4 The Czar’s religious officials, who earn more than 100£ per year, pay a 10% tax for the poor so that the poor receive 40£ per year.

p. 165 Poor widows receive "one year’s full profit of their Husband’s living, after his decease, or ten pounds per annum for life".

p. 203 The inhabitants of the Isle of Scio were heavily taxed. If they could not pay this, their family would be taken into slavery, so they stopped having children. The same happened to the people of Saguntus, the Roman colony of Spain, only they refused slavery by burning themselves, their family, and their wealth.

pp.285-292 Several new laws have been introduced in France to stop its moral downfall and "bring both the Clergy and the Nobility, to the legal restraints of Duty and Allegiance to the King." (p.285) - they had been using state money for their own interest and led an extremely dissipated life (ironic/sarcastic description of French fashion, food, music, mute servants from Turkey pp.300-304): p.286 high taxes have been laid on all foreign products to support local trade and manufactures who had been suffering due to the nobility's preference of wearing and using foreign things. p.287 French Gentleman have been stopped to travel abroad by severe taxes on the fifth of all their estates. p.288 freedom from several taxes for those who have ten living children. p.289 taking off taxes of plowed grounds and imposing taxes on all trades which are nourished by luxury and unprofitable for the commenwealth (perfumes, vintners, lawyers, jewellers...)

treaties

p. 184 The treaty in Constantinople "is perfected in every article".

peace and war

p. 181 "The savage nations in America indeed, are said to make war on their neighbors, who do not use the same customs and speak the same language."

p. 202 Tyranny is destroying peace and happiness in the northern parts of the globe.

and characters of the greatest persons of those times

pp. 188-9 The late emperor (of Turkey?), Achmet, set up regulations to prevent the spread of the plague.

Literature

Samuel Madden

• identified as "Chaplain in Ordinary" at court: Chamberlayne, John. Magnæ Britanniæ notitia: or, the present state of Great Britain; ... By John Chamberlayne, ... The thirty-first edition of the south part, called England; and the tenth of the north part, called Scotland. .. In two parts. .. London, 1735. p.118. ECCO
• Baker, David Erskine. Biographia dramatica, or, a companion to the playhouse: ... By David Erskine Baker, Esq. A new edition: carefully corrected; .. and continued from 1764 to 1782. London, 1782, p.294. ECCO
• Burdy, Samuel, The life of the late Rev. Philip Skelton, with some curious anecdotes (Dublin, 1792) ECCO pp 28, 32-41, 121
• Jones, Stephen. A new biographical dictionary: ... The second edition, corrected: with considerable additions and improvements. London, 1796. ECCO
• A new and general biographical dictionary: containing an historical, critical, ... London, 1795. 497pp. Vol. 7 of 8 ECCO
• Library Ireland accessed 1 Nov 2007
• Rosemary Richey, ‘Madden, Samuel Molyneux (1686–1765)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 1 Nov 2007