Manchester University Press
8 From ancients to moderns
Abstract
Diplomats always lived in several intersecting worlds, and notwithstanding the fact that much of their time was spent at court, they were capable of exercising intellectual and cultural influence on trends outside it. The status of Rome as the cradle of western civilization, combined with the civic humanism of the eighteenth century that made the British identify with aspects of classical politics and governance, ensured a high degree of interest in archeological and philological work on ancient Italy. Through an implicit authority based on residence and familiarity with the region, diplomats possessed the potential—if they chose to exercise it—to shape British thinking about the classical world. The principles of beauty, truth and liberty were to be recovered from the past and, if applied to the present, would constitute the acme of human achievement.
Abstract
Diplomats always lived in several intersecting worlds, and notwithstanding the fact that much of their time was spent at court, they were capable of exercising intellectual and cultural influence on trends outside it. The status of Rome as the cradle of western civilization, combined with the civic humanism of the eighteenth century that made the British identify with aspects of classical politics and governance, ensured a high degree of interest in archeological and philological work on ancient Italy. Through an implicit authority based on residence and familiarity with the region, diplomats possessed the potential—if they chose to exercise it—to shape British thinking about the classical world. The principles of beauty, truth and liberty were to be recovered from the past and, if applied to the present, would constitute the acme of human achievement.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Preface vii
- Abbreviations viii
- Introduction 1
- Part I: The structure of a service 17
- 1 Why diplomacy? 21
- 2 Entrance, training and promotion 41
- 3 Family, sex and marriage 62
- Part II: Of cabbages and kings 87
- 4 Etiquette and ‘face’ 91
- 5 Favourites and flunkeys 106
- 6 Gossips, networks and news 124
- Part III: Beyond the call of duty 149
- 7 The Grand Tour 151
- 8 From ancients to moderns 167
- 9 War, ethnography and religion 188
- Conclusion 211
- Appendix A Male diplomats, 1750–1830 219
- Appendix B Female diplomats, 1750–1830 227
- Select primary source bibliography 232
- Index 239
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Preface vii
- Abbreviations viii
- Introduction 1
- Part I: The structure of a service 17
- 1 Why diplomacy? 21
- 2 Entrance, training and promotion 41
- 3 Family, sex and marriage 62
- Part II: Of cabbages and kings 87
- 4 Etiquette and ‘face’ 91
- 5 Favourites and flunkeys 106
- 6 Gossips, networks and news 124
- Part III: Beyond the call of duty 149
- 7 The Grand Tour 151
- 8 From ancients to moderns 167
- 9 War, ethnography and religion 188
- Conclusion 211
- Appendix A Male diplomats, 1750–1830 219
- Appendix B Female diplomats, 1750–1830 227
- Select primary source bibliography 232
- Index 239
