Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

“It presupposes that magicians have some sort of duty to do magic – which is clearly nonsense. You would not, I imagine, suggest that it is the task of botanists to devise more flowers?”

The members of the Learned Society of York Magicians are more focused on magic in theory instead of magic in practice. That emphasis is pragmatic since magic is gone from England, so far as they know. It also shows their understanding that magic should be theoretical in order to remain respectable in a society that relegates any kind of labor to the lower classes.

“[I]ts members were clergymen of the poorer sort, respectable ex-tradesmen, apothecaries, lawyers, retired mill owners who had got up a little Latin and so forth, such people as might be termed half-gentlemen. I believe Dr Foxcastle was glad when they disbanded—he does not think that people of that sort have any business becoming magicians. And yet, you know, there were several clever men among them. They began, as you did, with the aim of bringing back practical magic to the world. They were practical men and wished to apply the principles of reason and science to magic as they had done to the manufacturing arts. They called it ‘Rational Thaumaturgy. ”

Another reason why the York magicians value theory over practice is their endless concern with maintaining their position at the top of the social hierarchy. They associate practical magic with labor, and labor is something that only members of the working and middle-class engage in. The contempt that the York magicians feel for the middle-class men of Manchester is also a reflection of their fear of a burgeoning middle class, especially in places at the heart of the Industrial Revolution.

“But he must see that such knowledge as he possesses must be shared with others for the Nation’s good. He is a gentleman: he knows his duty and will do it, I am sure.”

Honeyfoot assumes that Mr. Norrell will share his knowledge with Jonathan Strange because Honeyfoot believes the quest for knowledge is enhanced by collaboration. His too-generous assessment of Norrell is rooted in his naive belief that gentlemen are not swayed by self-interest. His misreading of Norrell shows his fundamental incomprehension of the dynamics of power.