Continuity and Anachronism

Several ofthe themes of this study have been treated in earlier publica tions, some by means of a general analysis and some through a detailed handling of problems raised by a particular theme or historian. Both the more general theoretical treatment of the theme and the concrete historiographical treatment are, I think, indispensable aids to the proper understanding of the development of historical scholarship in nineteenth-and twentieth-century England. There are a number of problems in a concrete historiographical approach: there is first the mass of historians to be faced, and then the immense amount of historical themes dealt with in various periods. As a guideline through the tangle of themes we chose the historiography on the development of the English parliament. We can only hope that we have made a responsible choice of the historians concerned. Un fortunately it was not always possible for us to give extensive biogra phies of some of the more recent historians, as several 'papers' are still firmly in the possession of families, and a number of them mus- despite of years - still be labelled 'confidential.' The Pollard Papers in the London Institute of Historical Research thus remained inaccessible. Fortunately the lack was partly compen sated by some important material being found apart from these Papers.

Texte du rabat

Several ofthe themes of this study have been treated in earlier publica­ tions, some by means of a general analysis and some through a detailed handling of problems raised by a particular theme or historian. Both the more general theoretical treatment of the theme and the concrete historiographical treatment are, I think, indispensable aids to the proper understanding of the development of historical scholarship in nineteenth-and twentieth-century England. There are a number of problems in a concrete historiographical approach: there is first the mass of historians to be faced, and then the immense amount of historical themes dealt with in various periods. As a guideline through the tangle of themes we chose the historiography on the development of the English parliament. We can only hope that we have made a responsible choice of the historians concerned. Un­ fortunately it was not always possible for us to give extensive biogra­ phies of some of the more recent historians, as several 'papers' are still firmly in the possession of families, and a number of them mus- despite of years - still be labelled 'confidential.' The Pollard Papers in the London Institute of Historical Research thus remained inaccessible. Fortunately the lack was partly compen­ sated by some important material being found apart from these Papers.

Contenu
I. The Presuppositions of Whig Historical Writing.- A. The 'pre-Namier' period and the growing criticism of the features of Whig historical interpretation: anachronism, finalism and historical continuity.- B. The Relativization of Constitutional History.- II. Whig Historiography in the Nineteenth Century. A. Myth about a Myth?.- A. Medieval studies in the first half of the nineteenth century: F. Palgrave, J. Allen and H. Hallam.- B. The Glorious Revolution and George III; Cromwell and the Civil War.- C. Medieval studies in the second half of the nineteenth century: The Oxford School: W. Stubbs, E.A. Freeman and J.R. Green.- III. Tradition Discredited.- A. The Crisis within the House of Commons.- B. Old liberalism as conservative realism.- C. Whiggery versus Gladstonian liberalism.- D. The New Liberalism: idealism and realism. Efficiency used as an ideology against tradition.- IV. Law and History: F. W. Maitland.- A. Maitland's road to History.- B. Law and History incompatible?.- C. Maitland versus anachronisms.- V. A Liberal Revaluation of the Tudor Monarchy: A.F. Pollard.- A. A.F. Pollard and English historiography.- B. A Liberal Revaluation of the New Monarchy: English Freedom and its Fettered Birth.- C. Parliament's unparliamentary origin and evolution.- D. Tollardism': The Reformation Parliament.- VI. Administrative History: T.F. Tout.- A. Administrative history as a reaction to Whig historiography.- B. Administrative history: a mirror of the times.- C. T.F. Tout and the French Histoire Événementielle.- D. T.F. Tout and his Administrative History.- E. The Reaction: the limits of administrative history and the illusions of specialization.- Bibliography of A.F. Pollard's Writings.- Sources and literature.- Index of Names.- Index of Subjects.