English Historical Documents, Vol. XII(1): 1833–1874 PDF
Preview English Historical Documents, Vol. XII(1): 1833–1874
342 V.12 ot.l X ENGLISH HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS General Editor DAVID C. DOUGLAS M.A., F.B.A. ENGLISH HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS General Editor: David C. Douglas, m.a., f.b.a. The following is a complete list of volumes in preparation; those marked * are already published, and those marked are expected shortly. *Vol. I. c. 500-1042. Dorothy Whitelock, m.a., litt.d., f.s.a. *Vol. II. 1042-1189. David Douglas, m.a., f.b.a., and G. W. Greenaway, M.A. fVol. III. 1189-1327. Harry Rothwell, m.a., ph.d. Vol. IV. 1327-1485. Alec R. Myers, m.a., f.s.a. fVol. V. 1485-1558. C. H. Williams, m.a. Vol. VI. 1558-1603. Douglas Price, m.a., b.litt., f.s.a. Vol. VII. 1603-1660. Mary Coate, m.a. "^Vol. VIII. 1660-1714. Andrew Browning, m.a., d.litt. *Vol. IX. American Colonial Documents to 1776. ALerrill Jensen, m.a., PH.D. fVol. X. 1714-1783. D. B. Horn, m.a., d.litt., and Mary Ransome, m.a. Vol. XI. 1783-1832. A. Aspinall, m.a., litt.d. "^Vol. XII(1). 1833-1874. G. M. Young, m.a.,d.litt. and W. D.Handcock, M.A., B.LITT. Vol. XII(2). 1874-1914. G. M. Young, m.a., d.litt. and W. D. Hand- cock, M.A., B.LITT. E GENERAL PREFACE nglish historical documents is a work designea to meet a present need. Its purpose is to make generally accessible a wide selection of the fundamental sources of English history. During the past half-century there has been an immense accumulation of historical material, but only a fraction of this has been made readily available to the majority of those who teach or who study history. The transcendent impor¬ tance of the original authorities is recognized, but direct approach to them remains difficult, and even some of the basic texts (which are frequently quoted) are hard to consult. A gulf has thus opened between the work of the speciahst scholar and those students, both at schools and universities, who best can profit by his labours. Historical studies tend too often today to consist of a commen¬ tary on documents which are not included in the available books; and, in the absence of any representative and accessible collection of the sources, the forma¬ tion of opinion proceeds without that direct study of the evidence which alone can give validity to historical judgment. Correspondingly, the reading public outside schools and universities, has no adequate means of checking, by reference to the evidence itself, tendentious or partial interpretations of the past. The editors of these volumes consider that this situation now calls for a remedy. They have striven to supply one by providing what they hope can be regarded as an authoritative work in primary reference. An enterprise of this nature could only be effective if planned on a large scale. In scope and content, therefore, these volumes differ materially from the conventional “source-books” which usually contain only a restricted number of selected extracts. Here, within much wider hmits, each editor has sought to produce a comprehensive corpus of evidence relating generally to the period with which he deals. His aim, in each case, has been to present the material with scholarly accuracy, and without bias. Editorial comment has thus been directed in the main towards making the evidence intelligible, and not to draw¬ ing conclusions from it. Full account has been taken of modem textual criticism to compile a rehable collection of authentic testimony, but the reader has in general been left to pass his own judgment upon this, and to appraise for him¬ self the value of current historical verdicts. For this reason, everything in this work has been presented in such a manner as to be comprehensible by readers of English, and critical bibhographies have been added to assist further investigation. iii IV GENERAL PREFACE The present volume is one of two wliich will be devoted to the Victorian age. In it the aim has been to illustrate, chiefly from the public records, the main movement in English history between 1833 and 1874: namely the transforma¬ tion of the political, social and economic structure of England during these years as a result of the growth of industrialism and democracy. So important was this development, and so enduring were its consequences, that it has been thought fit to consecrate an entire volume to its documentation. The history of the Empire and of foreign policy (both of which have been treated elsewhere in authoritative documentary collections) is not therefore here represented, and the direct documentation of Irish affairs has been postponed to a subsequent volume in the series. The scope of the present volume, the unity of the period with which it deals, and the wide ramifications of the central theme which it seeks to display, are explained by the editors in their general introduction. They have drawn their material from a very wide variety of sources, some of which are little known, and it is hoped that their work provides essential contemporary evidence of an historical process whose consequences are still to be felt not only in England but in many other countries in the world. All concerned in this series are fully aware of the magnitude of the under¬ taking to which they have addressed themselves. They are conscious of the hazards of selecting from the inexhaustible store of historical material. They realize also the difficulties involved in editing so large a mass of very varied texts in accordance with the exigent demands of modern scholarship. They beheve, however, that the essential prerequisite for the healthy development of English historical studies is wider acquaintance with the original authorities for English history. And they are content that their work should be judged by the degree to which they have succeeded in promoting this object. David Douglas VOLUME XII(l) ENGLISH HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS 1833-1874
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