In his writing on the physiology of reading in Restoration England, Adrian Johns recalls a story about the natural philosopher Robert Boyle. Suffering from "third fever" while at school, Boyle was encouraged to entertain his melancholy by reading novels which, far from curing him, "disturbed his thoughts", and as Johns concluded, "the effects of reading these novels […] proved permanent and Boyle simply had to live with them.” To a modern reader, the prescription of written romance as a cure for physical illness seems bizarre, but such an example serves to illustrate lingering 18th-century concerns about the behavioral effects of reading on the reader, illuminating for us the belief invested in the ability of words and language to accomplish action or bring about change in some way. Since the 17th century, private reading had become increasingly normalized as Puritanism emphasized private devotion to God, and the image of the private reader that emerged at this time was one that Johns describes as " an intimate involvement of the reader in the text. and a picture "with far-reaching implications for this and subsequent periods insofar as it emphasizes the potential dangers of this involvement." Such "implications" can be detected in 18th-century conversion narratives, in which words and turns of language are credited with enormous real power over events and people, but more particularly over the body and mind. to be completely in relationship with God. . George Whitefield and William Cowper, although writing years apart, both produce narratives that present biblical and religious language as a saving grace for the individual reader or speaker who risks erring against God. Outside of sermons and the church, God can be found for the individual in the Bible, and thus biblical language unites and connects man to God, containing both the reader (through the process of reading it) and God (contained in the text) simultaneously. By this standard, the religious and biblical language in the conversion story becomes performative, a notion that JL Austin explores in his lectures on the words "to do" things: "to pronounce the phrase [...] is not to describe what I do or declare that I am doing it: that is doing it.” In other words, Whitefield's A Short Account of God's Dealings with the Reverend George Whitefield and Cowper's Adelphi detail the importance of using language in the "right" way for salvation, and the consequences of neglecting or irresponsibility with language, perceiving language as an active means. mode, or bridge, through and on which one can unite with God. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Isabel Rivers, writing on the language of religion between 1660 and 1780, discusses two crucial changes that she believes occurred during this period, the first being "an emphasis in Anglican thought on capacity of human reason and free will to cooperate with divine grace in order to achieve a holy and happy life. the second is “the attempt to separate ethics from religion and to find the springs of human action not in the cooperation of human nature and divine grace, but in the constitution of human nature alone.” In short, the responsibility of the individual in reconciliation with God is great in this period. With the rise of print culture in the 18th century, literature of all kinds was increasinglymore accessible to those who were not there before, namely women and the working classes. As James Raven notes, some attempts to control this situation have been made by making libraries and subscriptions expensive or exclusive: “As radicals and conservatives alike have pointed out, knowledge is power. Prints, books, bookcases, and bookcases were protectors of this power—a power not to be abused or widely shared. However, the conversion narrative, as educational literature, took a position different by guiding the reading and consumption of literature and encouraging the idea that the only important knowledge is that of God and Christianity. Whitefield's account, for example, suggests that God is latent in everyone, even if one may not realize it: "but he who was with David when he followed the sheep, tall and young, was with myself here.” Establishing this thus, he goes on to reveal that in the midst of his impious and irreligious behavior, a few words came to him: "in the midst of these illuminations, something surely whispered, 'this will not last'"[16]. Here we see “illuminations” in parallel with a “sure” whisper, painting here even the “whisper” of words as more solid than the illusory life he leads. Thus, we see the first nudge in Whitefield's narrative toward a more godly life, brought about by a voice that enters his mind from a seemingly unknown source. This anonymity is another indicator of Whitefield's shrouded goodness, as his actions and devotion to God are not enough for him to connect with God from that point on, and we see only thoughtless words behind them are not enough to open a path to God. Indeed, to further clarify this point, Cowper's account places particular emphasis on the idea of ​​certain words or languages ​​as inaccessible or incomprehensible, most notably in the case of prayer: "I then for the first time attempted to pray in secret, but being little accustomed to this exercise of the heart and having very childish notions of religion, I found it a difficult and painful task and was even then frightened at my own insensitivity. It is clear that the language of prayer carries great weight and importance here, as it is described in physical terms as "difficult" and "painful" to simply produce the words one desires. This can be explained in the same terms as Whitefield's inability to listen or detect the significance of the whisper he hears, for Cowper's entire being is described in very clear terms as uncoordinated: his notions of religion are “childish” and his heart is “childish”. literally unable to participate in prayer. What then emerges is the necessity that religious language and professions of duty to God be spoken or read in a condition in which the whole body and mind are united and in agreement. The pursuit of reading or speaking to reach God is not simply an act of reading or speaking simple words with nothing more behind them, but requires specific conditions of the self for them to have any effect or an impact. body and all the temptations that accompany it and which create such a barrier in Cowper and Whitefield's stories to religious language, and subsequently to God. The best example of this is Cowper's account, where he recalls being: "half drunk in defending the truth of Scripture [while] in the very act of rebellion against its precepts." Lamentable inconsistency of a convinced judgment with an unsanctified heart! "[11] While Cowper does indeed declare Scripture as true and verbally dedicates himself to God through it, it is emphasized.