The History of Parliament: the House of Commons, 1790-1820 [5 volume set]

A very splendid work indeed. -- Linda Colley * LRB *
The achievement is of an order that almost defies description in scholarly language; but what is abundantly clear is that Mr Thorne and his colleagues have removed the blinkers through which historians of early nineteenth century politics have previous had to operate . The material collected ... has amply justified the painstaking research which they have conducted over many years; these volumes are amongst the finest fruits of scholarship on this period ever to have been harvested. In an age of increasing uncertainty among historians about the direction and utility of research, which often seems merely to retrace familiar ground or to grapple with abstractions, may provide abundant reassurance that there is no substitute for solid, detailed enquiry into specific, important and neglected subjects. -- J. P. Parry * PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY *