Emma Macleod – författare

Reverend James Wodrow (1730-1810), minister of the Church of Scotland at Stevenston in Ayrshire, and Samuel Kenrick (1728-1811), tutor to a Renfrewshire family until 1763, and subsequently a merchant and banker in Bewdley, Worcestershire, began corresponding soon after leaving the University of Glasgow in 1750. They continued to do so until James Wodrow's death in 1810. Unusually, around 85% of the letters on both sides survive, held in manuscript in Dr Williams's Library, London. Volume I of this edition covers the years 1750-1783. Their correspondence is an exceptionally rich resource for the study of British culture and society in the era of Enlightenment and revolutions but one which has been underused, despite its value, and which ought to be much more widely known and available to scholars working in a range of fields. In lively and highly readable letters, Wodrow and Kenrick discussed politics, religion, reform, revolution, theology, international affairs, society, the economy, education, family, friendship, health, books, and many other concerns. Sustained over six decades, the correspondence reveals the lives of two highly literate provincial men and their families during the high and late Enlightenment, and the age of revolutions. Because they disagreed on some matters, notably the American and French Revolutions, they wrote lengthy and passionately-argued letters about them which are here made easily available to scholars for the first time. Samuel Kenrick lived in England from 1765, and the men only met again in 1789, so their friendship was carried out almost entirely on paper for forty-five years. The correspondence constitutes a remarkable record of a friendship.

This is the second volume of the Wodrow-Kenrick Correspondence 1750-1810. Reverend James Wodrow (1730-1810), minister of the Church of Scotland at Stevenston in Ayrshire, and Samuel Kenrick (1728-1811), tutor to a Renfrewshire family until 1763, and subsequently a merchant and banker in Bewdley, Worcestershire, began corresponding around 1750, soon after leaving the University of Glasgow. They continued to do so until James Wodrow's death in 1810. Their correspondence is an exceptionally rich resource for the study of British culture and society in the era of Enlightenment and revolutions, here made easily available to scholars for the first time. Samuel Kenrick lived in England from 1765, and the men only met again in 1789, so their friendship was carried out almost entirely on paper for forty-five years. The correspondence constitutes a remarkable record of a friendship.In Volume 2: 1784-1790, Wodrow and Kenrick were long established in successful careers, and their daughters were now adults. A major theme in this book is Mary Kenrick's visit to Scotland to stay with the Wodrow family in summer 1784, and Helen 'Nell' Wodrow's return with her to Bewdley, to become part of the Kenrick household until September 1785. Wodrow himself visited Bewdley, on the only occasions he ever did this, in early September and late October 1788, on his way to and from London to arrange for the publication of two volumes of the sermons of his mentor, Principal William Leechman of Glasgow University. As well as discussing family, friendship, and the practicalities of publishing, the letters in this volume contain lively and highly readable exchanges on theology and church politics in Scotland and England, university politics in Glasgow, a wide range of contemporary literature, and an enormous spectrum of famous and less well-known politicians, authors, clergymen, and local figures in Ayrshire and Worcestershire.

Macleod examines changing British conceptions of America across the political spectrum during a period of political, cultural and intellectual upheaval. Macleod incorporates British writers of conservative, liberal and radical views.

Macleod examines changing British conceptions of America across the political spectrum during a period of political, cultural and intellectual upheaval. Macleod incorporates British writers of conservative, liberal and radical views.