Richard Steele: a Conscious Rationalist
RICHARD STEELE: A CONSCIOUS RATIONALIST By ELMO MURRAY ~~LL Bachelor of Arts Harding College Searcy, Arkansas 1953 Master of Arts Texas Christian University Fort Worth, Texas 1965 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December, 197 4 Tk-.u~ I 9 7f/ D fll?'-/r, ~.;L OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY M,~,Y 1 1 1976 RICHARD STEELE: A CONSCIOUS RATIONALIST Thesis approved: s~ tl 11/'~~ Thesis Advisor Dean of the Gradu~te College 938620 ii PREFACE This study represents an attempt to identify the intellectual premises underlying the religious, social, and political writings of Richard Steele, 1672-1729. Although Steele generally spoke through a persona, especially in his periodical essays, this study assumes that these personas speak for Steele. Furthermore, all of Steele 1 s writings have been used, as representing his views whether they were his e·ssays, his tracts, his plays, or his letters. I would like to express deep gratitude to my major advisor, Dr. Samuel Woods, Jr., for his great patien·ce and help. I would also like to express appreciation to the other members of my committee, all of whom offered valuable criticisms: Dr. David Berkeley, Dr. Walter Scott, Dr. Judson Milburn, and Dr. William Wray. I would like to express appreciation to my typists, Mrs. Rita McGinnis and Mrs. Linda King, for their excellent work. Finally, I wish to express deep gratitude to my wife, Anita, and my children, Janet and Teresa, for their patience, encouragement, and many, many sacrifices.
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