This work is primarily history, from 1782, of Great Britain, but of Britain as the center of a group of kindred communities and of an Empire in constant growth. The state of society before the industrial revolution is described in the initial chapters, and the chief theme of the book is social evolution as caused by economic change and in turn causing political change. The main tendencies of foreign policy and the reactions of peace and war on Home and Imperial affairs are traced. The story is throughout grouped largely round the chief personalities of the period.