Historical and political essays, by William Edward Hartpole Lecky.

Preface signed: Elisabeth Lecky.

"The essays 'Thoughts on history,' 'Formative influences,' 'Madame de Staël,' 'Israel among the nations,' 'Old-age pensions,' appeared originally in the Forum--the first under the title of 'The art of writing history': Ireland in the light of history,' in the North American review. Those on Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Henry Reeve, and Dean Milman were written for the Edinburgh review. The essay on 'Queen Victoria as a moral force' appeared first in the Pall Mall magazine; 'Carlyle's message to his age,' in the Contemporary review. 'The political value of history' was a presidential address delivered before the Birmingham and Midland institute; 'The empire,' an inaugural address delivered at the Imperial institute, and the 'Memoir of the fifteenth Earl of Derby' was originally prefixed to the volumes of his speeches and addresses."--Prefatory note.