1848 History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution in M.DCC.LXXXIX. to the Restoration of the Bourbons in M.DCCC.XV.

Description

Leather Binding, Pleasing Copy

A complete twenty volume 1848 seventh edition of Scottish advocate and historian Sir Archibald Alison's impressive history of the French Revolution, in bright half calf bindings.

The work is regarded as the first scholarly English language study of the Revolution. It contains a wealth of information on the tumultuous period in history, and is written in a 'lively and wordy' style. It was a huge commercial success, being revised and reprinted many times in the nineteenth century, and translated into a number of languages.

Alison aimed to educate people on the French Revolution, and to right the erroneous opinions which had spread in the aftermath.

With a portrait frontispiece to volume I.

With the armorial bookplate of MP William John Lysley to each front pastedown.

Alison's belief that the central failure in France was the reluctance of the ruling classes to stand up to popular intimidation resulted in this work being considered a 'Bible' for the Tory party at the time, due to its nostalgia for an ancient constitution, and pragmatism.