Contents

pp v-vi

Acknowledgements

pp vii-vii

Dedication

pp viii-viii

Abbreviations

pp ix-x

Note on Correspondence

pp xi-xii

Prologue: The Gentleman Adventurer

pp xiii-xx

Introduction: The Periodic Legend

pp 1-6

PART I - ‘The Prentice Politician’, 1885–92

pp 7-8

Part I Introduction

pp 9-10

1 - Land and Labour: Words Adorned by Reason

pp 11-22

2 - Political Influences: Metamorphosis

pp 23-33

3 - Parliament: The Practical Idealist

pp 34-58

4 - Political Journalism: Confidence and Impunity

pp 59-68

5 - Empire: Imperial Sceptic

pp 69-73

6 - Colonialism: The Hand of Man

pp 74-76

7 - Ireland and Scotland: A Patient Realist

pp 77-90

Part 1 Conclusion

pp 91-96

PART II - ‘The Fountain of His Brain’, 1893–1913

pp 97-98

Part II Introduction

pp 99-102

8 - Labour: An Aristocratic Minority

pp 103-111

9 - Literary Career: A Queer Potency

pp 112-114

10 - Empire: The Insidious Bacillus

pp 115-122

11 - The Sketches: A Secondary Storyteller

pp 123-129

12 - Colonialism: Misdirected Labours

pp 130-138

13 - Scotland: The Familiar Kail-yard

pp 139-176

Part II Conclusion

pp 177-182

PART III - ‘The Fleshly Tenement’, 1914–36

pp 183-184

Part III Introduction

pp 185-186

14 - Labour: Touched by Pitch

pp 187-197