Britain in the Age of the French Revolution.

Britain in the Age of the French Revolution. Jennifer Mori. Longman. [pounds]17.99 p.b. 259 pages. ISBN 0-582-23852-8. The aim of this book is to introduce readers to British history between 1785 and 1815, specifically its politics, diplomacy, strategy, ideas, society and economy. The author not only summarises the current state of academic debate but gives some remarkable insights of her own. While it was Britain which stood against the French republican, and then Napoleonic threat to Europe for some twenty-two years, there was within Great Britain and Ireland a minority for whom the French Revolution, republicanism and even Napoleon were attractive. The author rightly emphasises that during this period Britain and Ireland were far less controlled by central government and far more diversified. Professor Mori looks at political parties, the debate in ideas, the strength of radical feeling, the importance of religion, poverty and pauperism, the nature of the governing class and of the economy as it coped with the demands of a long and very expensive war, the development of war aims and the final peace settlement that restored the Bourbons to their throne. In discussing this final aspect the author is right to argue that most Britons disliked the idea that the peace settlement would depend on Britain's willingness to 'police' Europe. The price for this would be paid in 1914.