the very existence of an english enlightenment has been hotly debated by scholars. the majority of textbooks and standard surveys make no room for an english enlightenment. some european surveys include england, others ignore it but do include coverage of such major intellectuals as joseph addison, edward gibbon, john locke, isaac newton, alexander pope and joshua reynolds. roy porter argues that the reason for the neglect was the assumption that the movement was primarily french-inspired, that it was largely a-religious or anti-clerical, and it stood in outspoken defiance to the established order. porter admits that after the 1720s, england could claim few thinkers to equal diderot, voltaire or rousseau. indeed, its leading intellectuals, such as edward gibbon, edmund burke and samuel johnson were all quite conservative and supported the standing order. porter says the reason was that enlightenment had come early to england, and had succeeded so that the culture had accepted political liberalism, philosophical empiricism and religious toleration of the sort that intellectuals on the continent had to fight for against powerful odds. the coffee-house culture provided an ideal venue for enlightened conversation. furthermore, england rejected the collectivism of the continent, and emphasized the improvement of individuals as the main goal of enlightenment.