LAUSR

Abstract:This article argues that George Jacob Holyoake quoted George Eliot as part of a particular political strategy, one designed to bring together readers and writers of different classes, religious beliefs, and political affiliations. Holyoake, a lifelong political activist, worked tirelessly to build consensus among diverse and distinct groups, an effort that is reflected in his recirculation of passages by Eliot. Thanks to Holyoake's careful framing, Eliot herself emerges as a dedicated supporter of working-class political movements. By quoting her, Holyoake worked to convince his largely working-class audience that this famous middle-class author was on their side. As quotations traveled across class lines, they helped knit together the political projects of different groups, otherwise divided by class.