Project Gutenberg 2005-11-20 Public domain in the USA. 138 Oliphant, Laurence 1829 1888 Oliphant, Lawrence Fashionable Philosophy, and Other Sketches Fashionable philosophy -- The brigand's bride: a tale of southern Italy -- The sisters of Thibet -- Adolphus: a comedy of affinities. Transcribed from the 1887 William Blackwood and Sons edition by David Price "Fashionable Philosophy and Other Sketches" by Laurence Oliphant is a collection of philosophical and satirical essays written in the late 19th century. The opening sketches introduce a gathering in a London drawing room, where fashionable society members engage in discussions about the future of religion and philosophical ideas. Through witty dialogues and character interactions, Oliphant critiques contemporary beliefs, highlighting the absurdities of those seeking a new moral framework while disregarding the depth of existing traditions. The beginning of the work showcases Lady Fritterly's tea gathering, featuring various eccentric guests who discuss the future of religion and morality, with characters like Mr. Germsell, a proponent of scientific approaches to religious thought, and Mr. Rollestone, who advocates for a more profound moral exploration. As conversations unfold, humor and irony permeate their debates about esoteric Buddhism and the role of personal experience in shaping beliefs, reflecting Oliphant's critical perspective on the frivolities of fashionable intellectualism and the search for meaning in an evolving society. This engaging narrative sets the tone for the rest of the collection, blending humor with insightful commentary on human nature and social dynamics. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 64.2 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en English literature -- 19th century PR Text Category: Humour Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: British Literature Category: Philosophy & Ethics 212218 2025-08-07T10:06:18.800297 text/html 212422 2020-12-13T06:52:54 text/html 270698 2025-08-07T10:06:21.880331 application/epub+zip 270996 2025-08-07T10:06:19.311336 application/epub+zip 110367 2025-08-07T10:06:19.080291 application/epub+zip 343916 2025-08-07T10:06:24.030310 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 319689 2025-08-07T10:06:21.593315 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 159572 2022-09-08T09:20:46.961212 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 190873 2025-08-07T10:06:18.450438 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 190603 2020-12-13T06:52:54 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19082 2025-08-07T10:06:24.160278 application/rdf+xml 14172 2025-08-07T10:06:19.143323 image/jpeg 2639 2025-08-07T10:06:19.112302 image/jpeg 247988 2020-12-13T06:52:54 application/octet-stream application/zip 72576 2020-12-13T06:52:54 application/octet-stream application/zip 259494 2025-08-07T10:06:18.822332 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia