Polite and Commercial People: England 1727-1783 (New Oxford History of England

New Oxford History of England #11

by Paul Langford

The first volume of Sir George Clark's Oxford History of England was published in 1934. Over the following 50 years that series established itself as a standard work of reference, and a repertoire of scholarship. The New Oxford History of England, of which this is the first volume, is its successor. Each volume will set out an authoritative view of the present state of scholarship, presenting a distillation of the knowledge built up by a half-century's research and publication of new sources, and incorporating the perspectives and judgements of modern scholars.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, 18th Century, British Literature, Academic

803 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Paul Langford, FBA, FRHistS, was an historian specializing in 18th century British history. He was the rector of Lincoln College, Oxford from 2002 until 2012.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1934, Oxford University Press published the first volume in the “Oxford History of England” series. As subsequent volumes came out over the next 31 years, they came to serve as indispensable surveys of English history, the natural starting point for anyone interested in England’s past and a powerful force influencing our understanding of it. Yet as the state of historical scholarship evolved, gradually the volumes became outdated in terms of their presentation and interpretation of the past. In response, Oxford launched a “New Oxford History of England” series, of which Paul Langford’s book was the inaugural title.

In it Langford offers a wide-ranging history of England from the accession of George II to the loss of the American colonies. He presents the era as a chaotic one, with the country still coping with the consequences of the Glorious Revolution, which let a deep impression upon politics and society. Though the aristocracy remained the dominant group in many respects, the author sees the middle class increasingly coming to play a vital role in English life as the century progressed. In an age of commercial prosperity, their”polite” values increasingly contested with those of the upper class, setting the stage for their gradual assertion as the dominant segment of society in the century that followed.

Langford’s book is an outstanding survey of Hanoverian England, one that draws upon an impressive range of scholarship. Though his main focus is on the politics and society of the period, very little escapes his coverage, as economics, art, and literature also are addressed within its pages. Though he presumes that his readers possess some prior knowledge of his subject (the mini biographies of people offered in footnotes in the old series are absent here), his analysis and arguments are clear and forcefully made. The understanding he provides of the era makes his book a critical resource on the subject, and a worthy successor volume to those from the venerable old series.

[Juan Jose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Difficult Masterpiece

The breadth of knowledge in the book is impressive. The author clearly was a leading academic. However, the writing is difficult to follow. Some of this is due to the material - it's a bit advanced. But at other times the writing seems obscure by lack of craft or mere academic laziness (it reads like an academic paper where obscure assumptions and allusions are the norm).

Lastly, it's also a book that needs to be compared alongside other historiological traditions, as some of the main points (about Pitt, Fox, etc.) are not consensus (or clearly fleshed-out, see above) or have been superseded historiographically.

Overall a fantastic starting point for the era.

Learning - 5
Enjoyment - 4
Writing - 3

[lucy snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

a disclaimer that a fair amount of skimming took place here.

this book was the perfect overview of this time period! i especially liked the chapters on culture and society - the politics sections require so much brainpower to understand, as you try and remember who everyone is (especially when everyone has multiple ways of being referred to). the sections on sensibility and macaronis were great. also lots of useful stuff about british museum / british art and culture.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview. I'm currently doing research for an epistolary novel and I think this is the most helpful book I've read on the general history of the eighteenth century so far.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent general history that is arranged both chronologically and thematically. It includes political, economic, social and cultural history. It covers a lot of ground yet manages to be both detailed and accessible.

A fascinating period of English history, with shifts in politics and the economy that still shape the country today. You’ll be interested to know there were dodgy bankers in the City even then.

1776 turned out to be a great year for books: The Wealth of Nations, Common Sense and The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Not a bad effort really.

[J P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This New Oxford History of England is one of the most authoritative and conprehensive history from the accession of George II to the loss of America.

[Julaine]

Source: U of A. Used for H429 and H334.

[Ana Paula]

How can I read the book online? I sign on already!