Donald Southgate

2062 'The Most English Minister...' The Policies and Politics of Palmerston, by Donald Southgate B.A., D.Phil (read 8 Mar 1987) This is a good book on Henry Temple, 2nd Viscount Palmerston. It is not a biography, but a study of his policies and politics. The book starts on June 1, 1829, at which time he had been a minister since 1809. He became Foreign Minister in November 1830 and served till November 1834. His second term was from April 1835 to Aug 1841 and his third from July 1846 to Dec 1851. He was Prime Minister from Feb 1855 to Feb 1858, and then again from 1859 to his death on 18 Oct 1865. This book is crammed with interesting discussion of parliamentary affairs from 1829 to 1865, and it is very good, even though written in a convoluted style of English apparently favored by this British scholar. The author is a professor at St. Andrew's. The book is quite complimentary to Palmerston, who was really an able man.… (meer)

2065 The Passing of the Whigs 1832-1886, by Donald Southgate B.A. D.Phil. (read 21 Mar 1987) I found this book hard to read since it assumes a lot more knowledge of British politics and history than I have. But the story the book tells is an interesting one and I learned much. The Whigs were with the Liberals as that party arose, but finally parted from them in 1886 and then faded away. This is a good book, even though more detailed in discussing individuals related to the Whigs than I was able to intelligently keep straight.… (meer)