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MORGAN, WILLIAM THOMAS. English political parties and leaders during the reign of Queen Anne, 1702–1710. (Yale historical publications) *$2.75 Yale univ. press 942.06
20–7448
“In this book the author embodies the results of many years of painstaking and fruitful research. He has carefully studied ‘the new evidence that has become available in the last thirty years’—in the archives of England and Holland, in the recent reports of the Historical manuscripts commission, as well as in a mass of pamphlets and periodicals—and has reread, with a keen eye, all the older literature on the period, including the materials on which it has been based. He has been able to show that Queen Anne was a much more assertive person than is commonly believed, and that, from the beginning, the Duchess of Marlborough exercised much less influence on the policy of her sovereign than most writers on the period have assumed. On this perplexing period when personalities counted for so much, and when cabinet and party government were still in such an inchoate state, new lights are thrown; moreover, much fresh vivid detail is presented on the iniquitous methods of conducting elections which had come into vogue.”—Am Hist R
“Building on such secure and broad foundations he has succeeded in constructing a sound and enduring work.” A. L. Cross
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“The author has been able to gain access to a large amount of hitherto inaccessible material which has enabled him to produce a critical discussion of this era of much value to the historical student.” E. J. C.
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“Mr Morgan has written ably for scholars, and has performed just that sort of task which it is incumbent upon contemporary scientific historians to accomplish.” J. W. Krutch