A History of Modern Culture

Published 1930–4, this two-volume work considers the emergence of modern society in the wake of the Protestant reformation.

This two-volume work, published in 1930–4, is a remarkable and readable overview of the emergence of modern society in the wake of the Protestant reformation. Its starting point is the scientific revolution which, from the mid-sixteenth century, became the driver of rapidly evolving cultural, social and political changes.Preserved Smith (1880–1941), a professor in the history department of Cornell University, owed his unusual first name to Puritan ancestors who could be traced back to the seventeenth century. His great interest was in the Protestant reformation, and its wide-ranging political and cultural effects in Europe and America. An obituary remarks that his writings 'reveal a remarkable breadth of knowledge and interest and a consistent devotion to high standards of scholarly integrity'. This two-volume work of 1930–4, discussing 'modern culture' from 1543 to 1776, displays these qualities in abundance. Volume 1, after an introductory chapter, considers the state of the sciences in the sixteenth century, then the humanities and the social and political context of law, morality and art. The emphasis on the importance of science as a driver of change makes this a remarkable and readable overview of the emergence of modern society.