The Papers of Josiah Royce – Harvard Library Archives Call Number: HUG 1755
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Papers of Josiah Royce – Harvard Library Archives Call Number: HUG 1755 The listing of Box, Folder, and Document information begins on page 5 below. The Papers of Josiah Royce are primarily the product of Royce’s philosophical thought, research, writings, and teachings from his arrival at Harvard University in 1882 to his death in 1916. The collection, which consists of eight series, provides a comprehensive view of Royce's philosophical thought as a student and professor, his research and correspondence regarding the history of California, and his relationship with his colleague William James. The bulk of the collection spans from 1878 to 1916 and covers Royce’s teaching appointments at the University of California at Berkeley and Harvard. The collection contains manuscripts of many, but not all, of Royce's publications, teaching lectures, research notebooks, and drafts, outlines, and professional correspondence. A small amount of Royce’s personal papers, including autobiographical sketches, records of his undergraduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley, and family correspondence are also included. The collection contains photographs of Royce family members, dating from the mid 1860s through early 1900s. The collection also contains supplemental texts by Royce scholars and several Royce family genealogies. Biographical note Josiah Royce (1855-1916) was a member of the “golden age” of American philosophy and a foremost interpreter of absolute idealism early in his career. His philosophical thought later evolved into an examination and embrace of pragmatism, loyalty, and community. He investigated the mathematical and logical aspects of philosophy, providing a rigorous basis for his metaphysical inquiry. Royce taught philosophy at Harvard from 1882 until 1916, beginning as an instructor and advancing to Professor of the History of Philosophy in 1892, Chair of the Department of Philosophy from 1894 to 1898, and Alford Professor of Natural Religion and Civil Polity in 1914. At Harvard, his colleagues in philosophy included William James , George Herbert Palmer , Charles Sanders Peirce , and Hugo Munsterberg . Born in California, Royce graduated from the University of California in 1875. After study in Germany and at Johns Hopkins, he returned to Berkeley to teach from 1878 to 1882. From 1882 until his death, he taught at Harvard. Royce received an honorary degree from Harvard in 1911. His major works include THE SPIRIT OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY (1892), THE CONCEPTION OF GOD (1895), THE WORLD AND THE INDIVIDUAL (1899-1901), THE SOURCES OF RELIGIOUS INSIGHT (1912), THE PHILOSOPHY OF LOYALTY (1908), and THE PROBLEM OF CHRISTIANITY (1913). Chronology of Josiah Royce's life 1848 Josiah Royce’s parents, Sarah Bayliss Royce and Josiah Royce Sr., arrive in Northern California by covered wagon. On the journey, Sarah Bayliss Royce keeps a diary that is later published as A FRONTIER LADY (Yale University Press, 1932). The manuscript later aids her 1 son Josiah in researching his work, CALIFORNIA FROM THE CONQUEST IN 1846 TO THE SECOND VIGILANCE COMMITTEE [1856]: A STUDY OF AMERICAN CHARACTER . 1855 Josiah Royce is born in Grass Valley, California, a new mining town in formation. 1870 Royce enters the University of California at Berkeley as a member of its first graduating class of 1875. Joseph LeConte, professor of geology, becomes Royce’s earliest mentor. Royce wins oratorical awards and becomes an editor of the student newspaper, the BERKELEYAN . 1875 Royce graduates with a degree in classics and a thesis on THE INTENTION OF THE PROMETHEUS BOUND OF AESCHYLUS . 1875 Berkeley businessmen, impressed by Royce’s promise, fund one year of graduate work in philosophy at German universities in Heidelberg, Leipzig, and Gottingen. Before beginning his German studies, Royce visits Boston where he is introduced to the psychologist and philosopher William James. They become lifelong friends, colleagues, and at times intellectual counterpoints. 1875 University of California, Berkeley President Daniel Coit Gilman resigns to become the first president of Johns Hopkins University, the first American university dedicated entirely to graduate scholarship. Gilman offers Royce a two year fellowship beginning in 1876. 1878 Royce receives his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins. His dissertation is titled OF THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF KNOWLEDGE: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE PROBLEMS OF ELEMENTARY EPISTEMOLOGY . 1878 Royce returns to the University of California, Berkeley as an assistant professor of English. At Berkeley, there is no organized teaching of philosophy, Royce’s chosen field. 1880 Royce marries Katharine Head, daughter of a former Massachusetts family living in the San Francisco Bay area. 1882 Christopher Royce is born. 1882 Royce accepts the opportunity to return to the East Coast when William James takes a year’s sabbatical leave from Harvard and asks Royce to take his place. Royce arrives in Cambridge with his wife and infant son. 1882 Royce begins teaching elementary logic and psychology, and a course on John Locke, David Hume, and George Berkeley. He also begins teaching an advanced course in psychology. 1883 Royce is asked to continue teaching at Harvard for another year, as well as at Radcliffe College, then known as the “Annex.” 1885 THE RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF PHILOSOPHY is published. 1885 2 Harvard president Charles Eliot elevates Royce to a five-year assistant professorship in philosophy and forensics. 1886 Royce publishes CALIFORNIA FROM THE CONQUEST IN 1846 TO THE SECOND VIGILANCE COMMITTEE [1856]: A STUDY OF AMERICAN CHARACTER , an early examination of how California joined the United States. 1886 Edward Royce is born. 1887 The CONCEPTION OF GOD , with Supplementary Essay, is published. 1889 Stephen Royce is born. 1892 Royce publishes THE SPIRIT OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY , originally given as a series of lectures. 1894 Royce appointed chair of Harvard’s philosophy department for four years. 1899 -1900 Royce delivers the Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. The lectures are published as THE WORLD AND THE INDIVIDUAL in 1899-1901. 1908 Royce publishes THE PHILOSOPHY OF LOYALTY , first presented as a series of lectures at the Lowell Institute in Boston and elsewhere. 1908-1909 Royce emphasizes the study of logic in his teaching. In addition to metaphysics, he teaches courses in logic and a seminar in the logical foundations of scientific methodology. 1910 Christopher Royce dies at the age of twenty-eight. 1910 William James dies. 1912 Royce suffers a stroke, then later undertakes several convalescent cruises to Latin America. 1913 Royce publishes THE PROBLEM OF CHRISTIANITY . This major work was originally delivered as a series of eight lectures at the Lowell Institute in Boston, with an additional eight lectures delivered at Oxford University in 1913. 1914 World War I breaks out; Royce publishes WAR AND INSURANCE. 1914 Royce is named Alford Lowell Professor of Natural Religion and Civil Polity by Harvard president A. Lawrence Lowell. 1916 THE HOPE OF THE GREAT COMMUNITY is published. 1916 Royce dies on September 14. Series in the collection • 1. Biographical materials, 1869-1999 3 • 2. Writings, lectures, and drafts, 1879-1913 • 3. Student work, ca. 1863-1878 • 4. Correspondence, 1875-1920 • 5. Teaching career, 1878-1916 • 6. Family papers, 1750, 1812-1971, and undated • 7. Photographs, 1850-1968 • 8. Superseded inventories Acquisition information List of accessions • Accession 08872 ; 1980 April 21 Nancy A. (Mrs. Robert L.) Hacker • Accession 09077 ; 1980 December 1 (Hilles Library) • Accession 11706 ; 1989 June 1 (Nancy A. Hacker) • Accession 11707 ; 1989 June 1 (Mrs. Leroy Nylund) • Accession 12379 ; 1992 March 11 (Robert V. Hine) • Accession 12913 ; 1994 August 1 (Nancy A. Hacker) • Accession 14788 ; 2003 May 7 (Richard Compton) Related material at Harvard The Harvard University Archives holds several additional manuscripts by Royce in the papers of Richard Clarke Cabot (see HUG 4255, Box 14). Additional items in the Harvard University Archives include Royce's lectures on imitation in childhood (see HUE 83.500.77 and HUE 83.500.78). The Robbins Library in Harvard’s Department of Philosophy holds the books from Royce’s personal library, many of which contain Royce’s annotations. Robbins Library also holds a framed manuscript by Royce titled THE CULT OF THE DEAD. The Houghton Library holds manuscripts of some of Royce’s works and correspondence with William James (see James, William, 1842-1910. Papers, MS Am 1092.9-1092.12), among other materials. Other less significant publications and archival material pertaining to Josiah Royce and the Royce family are held at the Harvard University Archives and other repositories at Harvard. Please consult HOLLIS, Harvard’s online library information system, and OASIS, Harvard’s online archival information system, to find these materials. Related material at the University of California at Berkeley Additional archival material pertaining to Josiah Royce, including his last manuscript, THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE LUSITANIA; a lecture given in 1875, CERTAIN POINTS IN ARISTOTLE'S TREATISE ON POETRY, CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO THE LIGHT THROWN ON THE SUBJECT BY THE DEVELOPMENTS OF MODERN POETIC ART; and Royce's publication correspondence with Horace Scudder is held at the Bancroft Library at the University of California at Berkeley. 4 Inventory update This document last updated 2017 April 10. Collection contents listed by box and folder This section provides