Cambridge Platonists
Cambridge Platonists,a group of Anglican divines who had close connections with Cambridge University and tried to promote a rational form of Christianity in the tradition of Hooker and Erasmus . The group included Benjamin Whichcote ( 1609 – 83 ), appointed provost of King's College by Parliament ( 1644 ) and dispossessed at the Restoration ( 1660 ). His writings, mostly sermons and letters, were published posthumously. Posthumous publication was the fate also of the only volume (Select Discourses, 1660 ) produced by Whichcote's pupil John Smith ( 1618 – 52 ): M. Arnold said that his sermon ‘On the Excellency and Nobleness of True Religion’ contained all that ordinands needed to know outside of the Bible. Henry More ( 1614 – 87 ) remained all his life a fellow of Christ's College, refusing all preferment. His early poetry in Psychodia Platonica ( 1642 ) has some remarkable as well as some...
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