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March 25th 1811: Shelley expelled from Oxford

On this day in 1811, Percy Bysshe Shelley was expelled from the University
of Oxford for publishing a pamphlet entitled ‘The Necessity of
Atheism’. Shelley is best known as a famous English poet, who was part
of a group of fellow prominent writers including his wife Mary Shelley
and Lord Byron. As well as being as being an author, Shelley was a
radical political activist who advocated non-violent protest. Having
begun study at Oxford in 1810, it is often said that he only attended
one lecture during his time there. He published several works whilst at
university, but it was his atheistic pamphlet which led to his
appearance before the College fellows and his eventual expulsion as he
refused to deny authorship. ‘The Necessity of Atheism’ argued that
people do not choose their beliefs and thus atheists shouldn’t be
persecuted. However it is unclear whether Shelley was personally an
atheist; he may have instead been an agnostic or a pantheist. Either
way, this document is an interesting insight into Shelley’s views and
shows how atheism was stigmatised in the early nineteenth century.

“Truth has always been found to promote the best interests of
mankind. Every reflecting mind must allow that there is no proof of the
existence of a Deity”