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Proquest Dissertations UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Ruined by Pleasure? Luxury in Eighteenth-Century British Discourse by David Zylberberg A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY CALGARY, ALBERTA JUNE, 2008 © David Zylberberg 2008 Library and Bibliotheque et 1*1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-44234-0 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-44234-0 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par Plntemet, prefer, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, electronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privee, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont ete enleves de cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. Canada ABSTRACT This thesis is an examination of the role of luxury in different aspects of eighteenth-century British discourse. It was widely discussed as the time and generally served as an argument about either the disadvantages or benefits of social and economic changes. In most circumstances, discussions of luxury were critical and dealt with concerns about the breakdown of social order, selfishness, food being expensive or military weakness in the face of war with France. In the latter part of the century, there were also a substantial number of books written by doctors about health and the preservation of it. They argued that luxury was personally dangerous and generally associated it with gout or indolence. This thesis examines numerous published books, pamphlets and magazines and shows how many different concerns about change were expressed in relation to luxury. in ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor Warren M. Elofson for his insight, assistance and the high standard of writing he instills. My family deserves recognition for their years of support and encouragement. I would also like to thank my fellow students for helping make sense of my ideas, proofreading some chapters and challenging many of the arguments from my research. iv DEDICATION To the Zylberberg family, for creating an intellectually stimulating atmosphere throughout my life. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Approval Page ii Abstract iii Acknowledgements iv Dedication Page v Table of Contents vi INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER TWO Social Consequences of Luxury 13 CHATER THREE National Consequences of Luxury 33 CHAPTER FOUR Personal Consequences of Luxury 44 CHAPTER FIVE Arguments in Favour of Luxury 65 CONCLUSION 78 BIBLIOGRAPHY 84 vi Introduction Every period in human history could reasonably be described as one of change. However, the social and economic changes that occurred in Britain between 1700 and 1830 were especially significant. The latter part of this period witnessed the Industrial Revolution, which led to the radical transformation of human society. The earlier part of this period was marked by gradual and significant increases in consumption, trade, urbanization and population, along with growing efficiencies in government. This period saw shifts in all aspects of life, each of which facilitated the Industrial Revolution. Recently, Maxine Berg has argued that the increase in trade, which underlay most of this transformation, was brought about by a desire for "novelties, fashion goods and luxuries."1 Thus eighteenth-century Britain was a period of significant change in which conspicuous consumption of a plethora of new goods was one of the most obvious components. In both England and France, luxury was a major topic of discourse in the eighteenth-century. Its significance led historian Paul Langford to suggest that "a history of luxury and attitudes to luxury would come very close to being a history of the eighteenth century." There were many similarities between the French and English discourses, but this thesis is going to focus exclusively on the English. The discussion centring on luxury occurred in many different forms; from theatre reviews and cookbooks that promoted it to essays about its effects on society, to invective against its spread, to histories of the ancient world to books about health. Most of the 1 Maxine Berg, "In Pursuit of Luxury: Global History and British Consumer Goods in the Eighteenth Century" Past and Present 2004 (182): 92. 2 Paul Langford, A Polite and Commercial People: England 1727-1783, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990)3. 2 discourse on luxury was critical of it. This will form the subject of the first three chapters of this thesis. Chapter 2 will deal with the discourse about luxury's immorality and harmful effects on society. One of the most common arguments against luxury was that it had led to the decline of the Roman Empire and was likely to do the same thing to the British. This and concerns about its effects on the nation's international prominence and power form the basis of chapter 3. Chapter 4 deals with discussions of luxury's effects on individuals, particularly with concern to their health. There were some arguments in favour of luxury. These, along with positive portrayals of specific luxuries, are covered in chapter 5. Taken together, these four chapters will deal with the major aspects of the discourse and examine its role in eighteenth-century thought. Luxury was seen to consist of different things depending upon the author's understanding of its effects. Those who believed that it had positive effects upon the economy by stimulating trade tended to understand it as material goods like clothing, furniture or ornaments. The most famous examples of this are Bernard Mandeville's reference to the desire for a gown by the "poorest Labourer's Wife" and Adam Smith's descriptions of the effects of a desire for a pair of diamond buckles.3 This is also the understanding of luxury used by historians who have studied its spread in the eighteenth century. On the other hand, those who were concerned about how it was damaging society tended to view luxury as a lifestyle. They understood it to involve extravagant meals, fashionable entertainments and general indolence. One contemporary author defined luxury as "an excessive and vicious Love of Pleasure, a 3 Bernard Mandeville, The fable of the bees: or, private vices publick benefits. (London: J. Roberts, 1714) 105, Adam Smith, An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. Vol. 2. (Dublin: Mr. Whitestone et al, 1776) 212. 3 preposterous Desire of avoiding those Labours to which all Mankind are born."4 When James Burgh was complaining about the spread of luxury, he cited increases in "Races, Cock-Matches, Plays, Musick-Gardens, Balls, Assemblies, Operas, Concerts, Masquerades, Breakfasting-houses, Ridottos, and Fire-works."5 This vision of luxury is especially pronounced in the literature on its health effects, the frequent attacks upon the theatre and in concerns about its effect on military power. Carriages were also prominent in this understanding of luxury. Many of the complaints against them focussed on how they were inherently slothful in comparison to walking or riding. This fits the general view of luxury as a lazy and wasteful lifestyle. The distinctions between these two visions are not perfect since some writers were critical about increasingly showy clothing while others supported extravagant food and entertainment. However, they provide insight into what authors were generally referring to when they used the term 'luxury'. One thing that both the opponents and supporters of luxury agreed upon was that it was much more common in London than in smaller centres or rural areas. Luxury was discussed by many people in different contexts throughout the eighteenth century. The major trends in the discourse shifted a few times between 1730 and 1790. Non-medical criticisms were most common in the thirties and early forties. In this period, they tended to be general invective against its harmful effects and complaints about the indolence that extravagant feasting caused. Articles about 4 "Occasional Thoughts on Luxury, its Causes and Effects" London Magazine; or Gentlemen's Monthly Intelligencer January 1736: 8. 5 James Burgh, Britain's remembrancer. Being some thoughts on the proper improvement of the present juncture. The character of this age and nation. A brief view from history, of the effects of the vices which now prevail in Britain, upon the greatest empires and states of former times. Remarkable deliverances this nation has had in the most imminent dangers; with suitable reflections. Some hints, shewing what is in the power of the several ranks of people, and of every individual in Britain, to do toward securing the state from all its enemies.
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