The Life of William Ewart Gladstone
Morley's authorised biography of Gladstone (1809–1898) was published in 1903, and is a landmark of political biography. Four times Liberal Prime Minister between 1868 and 1894, Gladstone had left an enormous archive of letters, papers and diaries, which Morley (1838–1923), himself a noted Liberal politician and writer, spent five years distilling into three volumes. Although many other biographies and editions have since been published, Morley's work is still valuable for his use of primary sources, especially for the earlier part of Gladstone's career. Morley avoids overt party bias, but is understandably discreet in his treatment of more recent political events. He also ignores more private aspects of his subject's life and, as an agnostic, did not empathise with Gladstone's strong religious convictions. Volume 1 covers Gladstone's education, his election as a Tory, his first period as Chancellor of the Exchequer and his move towards the Liberals in 1859.
Product details
March 2011Paperback
9781108026772
686 pages
216 × 38 × 140 mm
0.86kg
4 b/w illus.
Available
Table of Contents
- Book I. 1809–1831: Introductory
- 1. Childhood
- 2. Eton
- 3. Oxford
- Book II. 1832–1846:
- 1. Enters Parliament
- 2. The new conservatism and office
- 3. Progress in public life
- 4. The church
- 5. His first book
- 6. Characteristics
- 7. Close of apprenticeship
- 8. Peel's government
- 9. Maynooth
- 10. Triumph of policy and fall of the minister
- 11. The Tractarian catastrophe
- Book III. 1847–1852:
- 1. Member for Oxford
- 2. The Hawarden estate
- 3. Party evolution - new colonial policy
- 4. Death of Sir Robert Peel
- 5. Gorham case - secession of friends
- 6. Naples
- 7. Religious tornado - peelite difficulties
- 8. End of protection
- Book IV. 1853–1859:
- 1. The coalition
- 2. The triumph of 1853
- 3. The Crimean war
- 4. Oxford reform - the open Civil Service
- 5. War finance - tax or loan
- 6. Crisis of 1855 and break-up of the Peelites
- 7. Political isolation
- 8. General election - new marriage law
- 9. The second Derby government
- 10. The Ionian islands
- 11. Junction with the Liberals
- Appendix
- Chronology.