Lord Melbourne was Prime Minister of England from 1834-1841. As mentor and father-figure to the young Queen Victoria, he exerted considerable influence over the first few years of her reign. In this, the first biography in twenty years, Leslie Mitchell uses the Melbourne family papers to explore the man behind the politician at the heart of early Victorian politics.
'I agree with Lord David [Cecil] that Melbourne as a friend or relative must have been one of the most delightful, wise and entertaining of men, but in public life I believe him also to have been ambitious, cynical and almost wholly without political principle. He was, in short, much less of a carefree amateur, much more of a politician.' Philip Ziegler, from his Preface First published in 1976, Philip Ziegler's Melbourne drew on hitherto unused material and made an unprecedently searching assessment of the eminent Whig statesman of the 1830s/40s. It is extraordinary enough that Queen Victoria's first Prime Minister should have been dragged through the courts by an aggrieved husband not once but twice. Yet Melbourne's 'problematic' personal life is only one reason why Ziegler, even-handed and scrupulous, was compelled to test the validity of Victoria's famous final judgement that Melbourne was 'not a good or firm minister'.
Lord Melbourne was Prime Minister from 1843-1835 and was a kind friend and guide to the young Victoria on her accession. Earlier he was married to Lady Caroline Lamb, the mistress of Byron. He played an important role in the social and political history of England.
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This engaging biography of William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, sheds light on the political and social landscape of early 19th-century England. Lamb served as Prime Minister during the reign of Queen Victoria and played a key role in the passage of important reforms, including the 1832 Reform Act. Dunckley draws on a range of primary sources to present a vivid portrait of this complex and influential figure. This book will appeal to anyone interested in British history or political biography. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
