"This Long Disease, My Life": Alexander Pope and the
Sciences by Marjorie Nicolson and G.S. Rousseau has been the
standard work on Alexander Pope and Newtonian science ever
since it was published in 1968. Literary scholars and
biographers continue to be swayed by its influence.
Unfortunately, the work they so often rely upon is in need
of some revision.
The literary evidence offered by Nicolson and Rousseau
suggests that Pope was a staunch Newtonian. However, this
is an exaggeration. They also claim that his scientific
references were almost exclusively Newtonian. Once again,
this is not entirely correct.
The evidence contained in this thesis attempts to amend
the inaccuracies in their work. It suggests that Pope was
not as staunch a Newtonian as was formerly believed. Other
philosophies influenced Pope's work almost as much as
Newtonian science. Pope also participated in scientific
satire and voiced some reservations against the new science.
This evidence suggests that Pope was a transitional
figure. He lived in a world where Newton and his science
were beginning to be appreciated; however, many other
philosophies continued to be influential and Newton had not
yet become the cultural icon that he would later become in
the late-eighteenth century. A second look at Alexander
Pope and the sciences reveals the actual nature of the
period in which he lived.
In order to prove this thesis, the first chapter begins
by defining the problem. The next two chapters then create
a solid foundation upon which the rest of this work is
based. Chapter Two discusses the enigmatic nature of
Newton's philosophy and the different versions of Newtonian
science that emerged as a result. Chapter Three attempts to
define a consistent version of Newtonian science. Once
defined, this version will be used as the standard
throughout the work. Chapter Four will present the evidence
that suggests that the literary works of Alexander Pope were
influenced by this version of Newtonian science. Chapter
Five will exhibit evidence that suggests that other
philosophies in general and the work of Bernard Fontenelle
in particular also influenced the work of Alexander Pope.
Chapter Six will give a short history of the Scriblerus Club
and explain how Pope sanctioned the scientific satire of its
members. This approach will reveal a man who was influenced
by many different ideas and had many different facets to his
complex personality
