MARTINEAU (James, 1805-1900, Religious Philosopher influential in the history of Unitarianism)

Long Autograph Letter Signed to Rev. Charles C. COE (1830-1921, Unitarian Minister and writer who advocated non-Darwinian evolution) saying that “In the passage which you quote the connnexion of Andes[?] would be correct thus: ‘who trusted in thee, and were not not ashamed’, i.e. both of them Past Aorists. But this would make them both historical, and limit the statement to a definite transaction, over and gone. It might also stand thus; ‘who have trusted in thee and not been ashamed’; i.e. both tenses, Present Complete. This would make both clauses express the continuous experience of the whole series of prophets & saints in every age. And, if the 2d clause meant, what you understand by it, simply the same thing as the 1st in a slightly modified and negative form, viz, as not being ashamed of God = trusting in Him, this would be the best expression of the idea. Both clauses would have, not only grammatically but, in thought, one and the same subject, prophets & Saints. But the word ‘ashamed’ is used, as so often in our English Bible... in the sense of ‘free to shame’. That they were not ‘put to shame’ but had their trust justified in the issue is an objective historical fact...” continuing at length about the subject ending that to his “feeling then, the appeal to definite historical facts in the past, as justifying a continuous trust of the human soul in all ages, could not be objectively expressed without this particular ‘consecutio temporum’. These refinements of language are difficult to make plain. But I hope you will be able to catch my meaning...”, 4 sides 8vo., on mourning paper, 10 Gordon Street, London, 20th October

He was the brother of the atheist social theorist, abolitionist Harriet Martineau. James Martineau's children included the Pre-Raphaelite watercolourist Edith Martineau, and painter and woodcarver Gertrude Martineau.
Martineau was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1872. He was awarded LL.D. of Harvard in 1872, S.T.D. of Leiden in 1874, D.D. of Edinburgh in 1884, D.C.L. of Oxford in 1888 and D.Litt. of Dublin in 1891.
Together with an Autograph envelope addressed to the “Revd Edward Coleridge” (1800-1883, Master at Eton).

Item Date:  1870

Stock No:  42316      £125

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