The Younger Pitt was a phenomenon: dead at 46, he was not only Britain's youngest but also the second longest-serving Prime Minister to date, acting as premier for 19 of his 25 years in Parliament. In examining this astonishing career, this incisive Profile focuses on the means by which Pitt gained and maintained his hold on power. It provides new information on Pitt's relations with the strong-willed George III; on the nature of his ascendancy over his cabinet colleagues; his management of Parliament; his skill as a manipulator of public opinion; his role in Britain's international resurgence after the loss of America; and, of course, on the long struggle against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France.

Michael Duffy

List of abbreviations Chronology INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 'Superior even to Charles Fox': The short path to power Great Chatham's son Shelburne's Chancellor of the Exchequer Thurlow and Temple's co-conspirator The King's Minister CHAPTER 2 'Awkward I am certain in a certain quarter': Pitt and the King The alliance of opposites Management of foreign policy Patronage and politics The personal affairs of the Royal Family CHAPTER 3 'Really master now': Pitt as Prime Minister Leading Minister in a coalition Cabinet The escape from Cabinet constraints Securing the Premiership: Pitt versus Thurlow Coalition and containment of the Portland Whigs The zenith of Pitt's Prime Ministerial system CHAPTER 4 'The ambition of my life': Pitt and the business of government The governing passion Guiding the national recovery 78 Apostate reformer or compulsive improver? 83 Personallimitations as a 'man of business' 88 The chan ging pace of improvement 92 CHAPTER 5 'The theatre of future farne': Pitt and the House of Commons 99 'I want to speak in the House of Commons' 99 Learning the arts of parliamentary management 102 Old and new in the Pitt management style 109 Control of the committee system as the key to business 119 'Toss and throw hirn as you will, he always lights upon his feet' 123 CHAPTER 6 'The impression and effect of numbers on our side': Pitt and the people 131 The appeal to 'the public at large' 131 Parameters of Pitt's popularism 133 Invoking public involvement in politics 142 Making a stand upon right ground 146 The balance of law and liberty 147 Mobilising loyalism 151 Knowing 'the people of England' 159 CHAPTER 7 'To diminish the temptation to wars of ambition': Pitt and the powers of Europe 166 Too inexperienced to meddle much in foreign affairs 166 Pitt's Grand Design 173 Origins and outbreak of the Great War with France 178 Pitt as a War Minister 182 The quest for a winning Grand Alliance 190 CHAPTER 8 'Enough to kill a man': The erosion of power 201 'The doubt of being equal to all I want to do' 201 The Catholic Question and the fall of the Ministry 207 Pitt out of Office - the pursuit of 'character' 212 The flawed victory of 1804 217 'Too late for anything': the tragedy of 1805 222 Further reading 232 Index