Bøger i Cambridge Library Collection - British and Irish History, 19th Century serien

Frances Power Cobbe (1822-1904) was an Irish writer, social reformer and activist best known for her contributions to Victorian feminism and women's suffrage. After the death of her father in 1857, Cobbe travelled extensively across Europe before becoming a leader-writer addressing public issues for the London newspaper The Echo in 1868. She continued to publish on the topics of feminism, social problems and theology for the rest of her life. This volume, first published in 1863, contains a series of essays discussing topics of importance to early feminists. Cobbe explores sexual and matrimonial inequality and the changing status of and opportunities for single women, and advocates greater and more extensive female education. Cobbe also discusses possible reasons behind the inequality and limitations experienced by singe and married women, providing insights into the lives experienced by Victorian women and exemplifying the ideas and concerns of contemporary feminists.

In the preface to this 1859 book Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) tells the reader that this 'is not a work of invention' or a 'fancy-piece' and thereby sets the tone for a study that is partly historical and partly sociological. In the writing of the book, Martineau collaborated with another prominent nineteenth-century figure, Florence Nightingale. They wished to gain political support for improvements in military hygiene and health care. Martineau draws on Nightingale's experiences when nursing wounded soldiers during the Crimean War and builds it into a strong narrative that describes the conditions that soldiers experienced in the barracks, in hospitals and on the field, making practical recommendations as to how to improve these areas, by legislation if necessary, so as to ensure the future good health of Britain's armed forces. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=martha

The publication of Queen Victoria's journals in 1858 made her a best-selling author almost immediately. Dedicated to her late husband, Victoria's diary entries detail her Highland holidays at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, frequented by the royal family since 1848. Writing of mountain adventures, boating, and other outdoor activities, the Queen portrays an idyllic family life far away from the politics and prying eyes of the London public. Her Highland exploits are supplemented with accounts of travels in England and Ireland and yachting expeditions. As Victoria had retreated from public life following the death of Albert, the publication of her journals gave the public access to their monarch in a different form, and the popularity of this book resulted in the subsequent publication, More Leaves from a Journal of a Life in the Highlands in 1884. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=victqu

Bessie Rayner Parkes (1829-1925) was an English poet, writer and prominent early feminist best known for her campaigns for women's right to work and receive professional training. After meeting fellow feminist activist Barbara Bodichon (1827-1891) they founded the first English feminist journal, The English Woman's Review in 1858. Parkes served as its principal editor between 1858-1864. This volume, first published in 1865 and containing several essays from The English Woman's Review, advocates for young middle-class women to be given the opportunity to work and earn a living in safe conditions with fair pay. Parkes links the changes in society caused by the Industrial Revolution to the need for women to work. Her reassurance that married women should still be supported by their husbands illustrates how Parkes, like other contemporary feminists, worked within the contemporary social framework and used existing social norms to justify her aims.

John Stuart Mill (1806-73) was a pioneering British politician and social reformer who is considered one of the most influential social and political theorists of the nineteenth century. His works on logic, epistemology, political philosophy, women's legal rights and economics helped shape emerging radical social and political ideas, and ensured his reputation as one of Britain's foremost radical intellectuals. This volume, first published in 1861, contains Mill's discussion of democracy and the ideal system of government. Writing during a turbulent time in British politics, Mill discusses his political theories concerning democracy and his ideal political institutions and their proper functions, and links these with contemporary political questions including franchise reform, and colonial and federal government. His thoughts concerning the limitations of democracy, the links between performing civic duties, education and voting are fully illustrated in this influential volume, which is reissued from the second edition of 1861.

Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer (1841-1917), was a British statesman and colonial administrator. After a successful career in the War Office he was appointed the Controller General of Egypt in 1879. After the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, Baring became Consul General of Egypt, a position he held until 1907 when he resigned due to ill health. During his retirement, he maintained his interest in politics and contemporary culture. This volume, first published in 1913, contains a collection of articles written for magazines such as the Edinburgh Review and the Spectator between 1908 and 1913, on the topics of contemporary politics and literary culture. Baring discusses various subjects including Army reform, the contemporary systems of colonial government, and the future of Classics in education and historiography. This volume provides information on Edwardian views of imperialism, and also illustrates the types of popular articles which were published during this period.

John Adam Cramb (1862-1913) was a Scottish historian and novelist, best known for his fervent patriotism and support of compulsory national service. After graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1885, he served as Lecturer in Modern History at Queen Margaret College, Glasgow, between 1885-1890 and was appointed Professor of Modern History at Queen's College, London, in 1893. This volume, first published in 1900, contains Cramb's assessment of the future of the British Empire. A fervent patriot who was writing in response to the Second Boer War in South Africa, Cramb uses historical examples of British wars to justify the Second Boer War, arguing that the mission of the British Empire was to spread democratic ideals. Cramb warns of the threat of foreign powers to the Empire and recommends compulsory military training to combat this threat. This volume provides a valuable example of Edwardian imperialist and nationalist thought.

Octavia Hill (1838-1912) is today best remembered as one of the founders of the National Trust. However, her involvement in education and social reform, and particularly housing, was a large part of her work. Shocked at the poverty and overcrowding she found in London slums, she began to acquire and improve properties which would restore the tenants' dignity and self-respect. She organised a team of volunteer 'district visitors' to help the residents, and especially children, to achieve a better quality of life, including the provision of open spaces and recreational amenities. This book of essays and talks, first published in 1877, sets out the principles of this work. She emphasises the importance of access to the countryside for the health of city dwellers, and of creating green areas in towns, and she gives advice to volunteers about helping people to help themselves, rather than doling out money.

Octavia Hill (1838-1912) is today best remembered as one of the founders of the National Trust. However, her involvement in education and social reform, and particularly housing, was a large part of her work. Shocked at the poverty and overcrowding she found in London slums, she began to acquire and improve properties which would restore the tenants' dignity and self-respect. She organized a team of volunteer 'district visitors' to help the residents, and especially children, to achieve a better quality of life, including the provision of open spaces, training and recreational amenities. She was considerably influenced by Rev. F.D. Maurice, theologian and social worker, whose son, the editor of this work, married Octavia's sister Emily. The letters from which the 'life' is compiled show her extraordinary ability as an organiser, her humanity, and how much effort she put into her various activities, often overworking until she became ill.

Octavia Hill (1838-1912) is today best remembered as one of the founders of the National Trust. However, her involvement in education and social reform, and particularly housing, was a large part of her work. Shocked at the poverty and overcrowding she found in London slums, she began to acquire and improve properties which would restore the tenants' dignity and self-respect. She organised a team of volunteer 'district visitors' to help the residents, and especially children, to achieve a better quality of life, including recreational amenities. These articles, dating from 1866 to 1875, show the development of her thinking on how to achieve reforms by a mixture of legislation and charity. As the number of properties and helpers grew considerably, she argued that the personal involvement of volunteers achieved more than a larger bureaucracy could. Her work, which was internationally recognised, led to the development of housing associations.

Sir James Caird (1816-1892) was a Scottish agriculturalist and M.P., who wrote widely on agricultural matters, not only in Britain but in Ireland, Canada, America and India. British agricultural incomes had been falling due to low grain prices since 1846, and Caird was commissioned by The Times to undertake a survey of English agriculture. His county-by-country reports were published in 1852 as English Agriculture in 1850-51. The work was also published in America, and in German, French and Swedish versions. Changing patterns of trade meant that British agriculture had to adapt to compete with cheap imports, and tenant farmers needed greater security. Caird campaigned in Parliament for regular and official agricultural statistics to be collected, so that the agricultural economy could be made more efficient, though it was nine years before this happened. Caird was knighted in 1882, and served on many official committees.

John Steer (fl. 1830) was a barrister and writer on legal issues best remembered for this detailed survey of the state of parish laws in the early nineteenth century. In this period the parish was the main institution of rural administration, and parishes were responsible for both ecclesiastical and civil matters, these being administered by the parish vestry. This volume, first published in 1830, contains a clear and comprehensive review of the many laws relating to the responsibilities of the parish. Organising the text according to parish institution, Steer provides a thorough description of legislation which governs all aspects of parish activities, including the parish vestry, Poor Law and church administration, and the duties of Justices of the Peace, with the legal statutes and pertinent legal cases included. This volume was published in multiple editions during the nineteenth century, and provides a rich resource for the study of contemporary life.

J. A. Hobson (1858-1940) was an English economist and early socialist, whose writings on capitalism and industrialism influenced Lenin and Trotsky, and were highly regarded by John Maynard Keynes. Imperialism, published in 1902, is considered his most important work. Employed as a war correspondent by the Manchester Guardian to report on the Second Boer War, he became convinced that imperial expansion was driven by the desire to find new markets and investment opportunities, resulting in capitalistic exploitation of the colonies. He argued that imperial policies were a fundamental cause of international conflict, as greed led to aggression and militarism. While modern critics have seen weaknesses in his arguments, such as his failure to examine the development of the British Empire out of early private trading enterprises, Hobson was a very influential and prolific writer and social theorist, who helped shape British welfare policy in the twentieth century.

George Sturt (1863-1927) was a British wheelwright and writer who usually wrote under the pen-name George Bourne. A native of Surrey, he inherited his father's workshop in the rural village of Bourne, near Farnborough, in 1891 and began to record the daily lives and recollections of his rural family and acquaintances. This volume, first published in 1912, contains Sturt's description and analysis of social changes he saw taking place in the village where he lived. At the time of publication, Sturt's village was being transformed from a rural agricultural community into a 'residential centre' populated by wealthy outsiders from London. Sturt sensitively and perceptively describes these changes, and analyses their impact on the rural society, community and economy by comparing the contemporary situation to the 'old' rural society. This volume provides valuable insights into changes and social tensions in rural Late Victorian society and economy.

George Sturt (1863-1927) was a British wheelwright and writer who usually wrote under the pen-name George Bourne. A native of Surrey, he inherited his father's workshop in the rural village of Bourne, near Farnborough, in 1894 and began to record the daily lives and recollections of his rural family and acquaintances, which he published towards the end of his life. This volume, first published in 1913, contains Sturt's descriptions of characters and traditions of the village in which he lived. Through conversations with his gardener and labourer Fred Bettesworth and his own experiences, Sturt vividly and sensitively describes the community, hardships, daily lives and experiences of a variety of characters from his rural agricultural village, including Fred's wife Lucy Bettesworth. Written with a keen sense of the fragile nature of this community, this volume provides a valuable record of a now-vanished way of life.

A determined campaigner for women's rights, Jessie Boucherett (1825-1905) helped to draft Britain's first female suffrage petition in 1866 and founded the Englishwoman's Review in the same year. Originally published in 1863 and reissued here in its 1866 printing, the present work is her call to arms for young women of all classes to pursue their independence through education and employment. Emphasising the risk of trusting in men to provide for women, she urges her readers to support themselves, first through education and then through remunerative work. She includes examples of the various trades open to women and examines the cases of women who have not only succeeded but excelled in their occupations. The appendices give details of institutions where women could receive training. Reflecting and refining the Victorian concern with self-improvement, this work remains relevant to social historians and readers interested in the women's movement.

The curate William Haslam (1817-1905) focuses here on the ruins of St Piran's oratory, for many years lost to Cornwall's shifting sands. First published in 1844, his work laments the site's fate: first destroyed by its environment, then, upon its rediscovery, pillaged by trophy hunters. Highlighting the importance of Cornwall's frequently overlooked ecclesiastical antiquities, of which the oratory is perhaps the most compelling example, Haslam also gives an account of his local parish. The work describes the surrounding landscape, before going into an analysis of the oratory itself, with a small number of accompanying illustrations. An account of the life of St Piran, who has come to be regarded as Cornwall's patron saint, complements the history of Christianity's growth in the area, which resulted in the oratory's construction. With a strong emphasis on the oratory's importance as an early Christian site, this study will appeal to readers interested in architectural, church and local history.

The daughter of a Scottish soldier and a Jamaican herbalist, Mary Seacole (1805-81) gained recognition for her provision of care to British troops during the Crimean War. She had travelled widely in the Caribbean and Panama before venturing to England to volunteer as an army nurse in the Crimea. Although rebuffed by officials, an undeterred Seacole funded her own expedition, establishing the British Hotel near Balaclava to provide a refuge for wounded officers. Known affectionately as 'Mother Seacole' among the men, yet returning to England bankrupt at the end of hostilities, she had her plight highlighted in the press. First published in 1857, and reissued here in its 1858 printing, her autobiography was intended to share her story and restore to her some financial security. Probably dictated to her editor, who then polished the text for publication, this was the first autobiography by a black woman in Britain.

Prior to its publication in 1830, the draft of this work by Sir Henry Parnell, later Baron Congleton (1776-1842), was praised by John Stuart Mill, who said he could 'not see that it is possible to lay down the principles of political economy more broadly'. Chair of the select committee on public income and expenditure during the Duke of Wellington's first ministry, Parnell called for greater retrenchment and reduced taxation. He also argues here that 'the passage of merchandise from one state to another ... ought to be as free as air and water', denouncing the supporters of protection as 'among the greatest enemies of mankind'. A later pamphlet by Parnell, A Plain Statement of the Power of the Bank of England (1832), highly critical of the Bank's monopoly, is included in this reissue. His Treatise on Roads (1833) is reissued separately in the Cambridge Library Collection.

First published in 1904, this book is the last of Lady Mary Anne Barker's memoirs of her life in several of Britain's colonies in the nineteenth century. Barker (1831-1911) was born in Jamaica and educated in England and France. In 1865, she moved to New Zealand with her second husband, Sir Frederick Broome, and spent three years living on a sheep station. She then lived in South Africa, Mauritius, Trinidad, and Western Australia following the various political appointments of her husband. During her travels she began her successful writing career and published several memoirs and housekeeping guides. In Colonial Memories, she recounts her life as a colonial wife, detailing her experiences in far-flung locales. The book also includes chapters on birds, interviews, General Charles Gordon (whom she met in Mauritius), and her servants. Several of the chapters were initially published as articles in London magazines.

An inspiration behind Sherlock Holmes, Jerome Caminada (1844-1914) was probably the most well-known detective in late Victorian England. Living in Manchester his whole life, he grew up in Deansgate, notorious for its brothels and beerhouses. He joined the police in 1868 and later became Manchester's first detective superintendent. Known for his unorthodox, eccentric methods, he regularly donned disguises and once hid inside a grand piano in order to catch a thief. Despite being responsible for imprisoning over 1,000 criminals, Caminada was perhaps progressive in his belief that punishment 'strengthens evil propensities, prevents repentance and renders reform impossible'. Peopled with characters such as 'Cabbage Ann', 'Bodger' and 'One Armed Kitty', this autobiography, first published in 1895, paints an extremely vivid picture of a seedy, dilapidated and dangerous Victorian city and its criminal underworld.

This classic work in the literature of poverty was published in 1890 by William Booth (1829-1912), the founder of the Salvation Army. It was in fact mostly written by the crusading journalist W. T. Stead (referred to as an anonymous 'friend of the poor' in Booth's preface), but the practical ideas for relieving the poverty and squalor of late Victorian British cities are all Booth's own. Reworking the cliche of 'Darkest Africa', in the first part he describes the 'submerged tenth' of Darkest England - destitute and/or criminal - and goes on to suggest the way to 'Deliverance', which includes better housing, education and training for work, and the sending of the urban poor to 'colonies', both overseas and in the British countryside. These proposals had their critics, but drew wide attention to an appalling aspect of urban life of which the prosperous classes were barely aware.

One of the most popular and prolific writers during the Victorian age, Samuel Smiles (1812-1904) emphasised individual responsibility in the pursuit of personal and social improvement. Among other titles, his acclaimed Lives of the Engineers (1861-2) and insightful Autobiography (1905) are also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection. He is best known, however, for the present work. First published in 1859, it sold 20,000 copies in its first year, more than a quarter of a million by 1905, and was widely translated. Using hundreds of biographical examples, ranging from George Stephenson to Josiah Wedgwood, Smiles champions the virtues of hard work, perseverance and character in achieving success. While these values appealed to a large readership in the book's heyday, later critics saw the work as promoting a form of selfish materialism. However interpreted, this remains a crucial text for those fascinated by the Victorian drive for self-improvement.

Later recognised for his work in interior and furniture design, Charles Locke Eastlake (1833-1906) had shown early promise in making architectural drawings, and he was awarded a silver medal in 1854 by the Royal Academy. His passion for Gothic style developed during a tour of Europe in the late 1850s, and his History of the Gothic Revival (1872) is also reissued in this series. Focusing on interior design, the present work was published in 1868 and influenced the style of later nineteenth-century 'Modern Gothic' furniture. It contains many illustrations of Eastlake's own designs for furniture, tiles and wallpaper, including colour plates which can be viewed online at www.cambridge.org/9781108075343. The book moves from the street into the home and then from room to room, finishing with chapters on crockery, cutlery, glassware, and dress and jewellery. It gives a fascinating insight into the late Victorian taste for the medieval, also fostered by the Arts and Crafts movement.

This work, originally published in 1817, is one of the founding texts of modern economics. Enormously successful as a stockbroker, David Ricardo (1772-1823) was able to lead the life of a wealthy country squire, while his intellectual interests caused him to move in the circles of Thomas Malthus and James Mill. It was at Mill's urging that Ricardo published this book, entered Parliament in 1819 (as an independent member for a rotten Irish borough) and worked for financial and parliamentary reform. Ricardo argues in this work that Adam Smith was mistaken in his understanding of the economic significance of rent, and also demonstrates the mutual benefit of free trade between countries, as against protectionism. The book's findings and conclusions have been controversial since its publication, but led John Stuart Mill to judge Ricardo 'the greatest political economist'.

David Ricardo's work on currency was published in 1816, and this second edition appeared in the same year. Enormously successful as a stockbroker, Ricardo (1772-1823) was able to lead the life of a wealthy country squire, while his intellectual interests caused him to move in the circles of Thomas Malthus and James Mill. Written at the urging of the Cornish businessman Pascoe Grenfell, MP, who shared Ricardo's interest in financial matters, this work considers the problem of the national debt, in the context of paper money and whether it should in principle be exchanged at face value for gold bullion rather than for minted coins. Ricardo was very concerned at the large profits being made by the Bank of England in its dealings with the government, and suggests here the creation of an independent central bank, a proposal to which he later returned.

Perhaps the first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer (1810-58) was a flamboyant, larger-than-life character who nonetheless took his profession very seriously. As the chef of the Reform Club, he modernised its kitchens, installing refrigerators and gas cookers. In 1851, during the Great Exhibition, he prepared spectacular (but financially ruinous) culinary extravaganzas at his restaurant, the Gastronomic Symposium of All Nations. In stark contrast, he organised soup kitchens during the Great Famine in Ireland and volunteered his services in the Crimea in 1855 to improve military catering. This work, first published in 1857, gives a vivid account of his efforts to prepare nutritious meals for the soldiers using a newly invented portable field stove, which remained in use until the Second World War. Also reissued in this series are Soyer's Gastronomic Regenerator (1846) and The Modern Housewife or Menagere (1849).

Perhaps the first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer (1810-58) was a flamboyant, larger-than-life character who nonetheless took his profession very seriously. As the chef of the Reform Club, he modernised its kitchens, installing refrigerators and gas cookers. In 1851, during the Great Exhibition, he prepared spectacular (but financially ruinous) culinary extravaganzas at his restaurant, the Gastronomic Symposium of All Nations. In stark contrast, he organised soup kitchens during the Great Famine in Ireland and volunteered his services in the Crimea in 1855 to improve military catering. He was also a prolific inventor of kitchen gadgets, notably promoting the Magic Stove, used for cooking food at the table. Several of his highly popular cookery books have been reissued in this series. Following his death, his secretaries Francois Volant and James Warren published this anecdotal and admiring biography in 1859, together with recipes and other cookery writings.

Perhaps the first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer (1810-58) was a flamboyant, larger-than-life character who nonetheless took his profession very seriously. As the chef of London's Reform Club, he modernised its kitchens, installing refrigerators and gas cookers. They became something of a showpiece, even opening for tours. In contrast, Soyer also organised soup kitchens during the Great Famine in Ireland and volunteered his services in the Crimea in 1855 to improve military catering. He was also a prolific inventor of kitchen gadgets, notably promoting the Magic Stove, used for cooking food at the table. This work, first published in 1849, was aimed at the middle classes. Conceived as a dialogue between two housewives, it contains hundreds of recipes and tips, giving modern readers a rich insight into household management of the time. Also reissued in this series are Soyer's Gastronomic Regenerator (1846) and Culinary Campaign (1857).

Perhaps the first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer (1810-58) was a flamboyant, larger-than-life character who nonetheless took his profession very seriously. As the chef of the Reform Club, he modernised its kitchens, installing refrigerators and gas cookers. In 1851, during the Great Exhibition, he prepared spectacular (but financially ruinous) culinary extravaganzas at his restaurant, the Gastronomic Symposium of All Nations. In stark contrast, he organised soup kitchens during the Great Famine in Ireland and volunteered his services in the Crimea in 1855 to improve military catering. He was also a prolific inventor of kitchen gadgets, notably promoting the Magic Stove, used for cooking food at the table. First published in 1938, this biography by Helen Soutar Morris (1909-95) is based on Francois Volant and James Warren's anecdotal account of 1859 (also reissued in this series), and it faithfully conveys the adulation that Soyer engendered in his lifetime.