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In this third and final volume of a trilogy discussing all the British Prime Ministers from 1721 to 2007, Dick Leonard assesses the careers of the 14 Premiers of the Eighteenth Century Following his earlier surveys of 19th and 20th Century British Prime Ministers, Dick Leonard turns his attention to their 18th Century predecessors, including such major figures as Robert Walpole, the Elder Pitt (Lord Chatham), Lord North and the Younger Pitt. In a series of 14 biographical essays, he recounts the principal events of their political careers, the circumstances which brought them to the top of ´the greasy pole´, assesses their performance as Prime Ministers, and asks what lasting influence they have had. He also recounts fascinating and often little-known facts from both their private and public lives, for example, on which Prime Minister was the nursery rhyme Who killed Cock Robin based? Which two brothers succeeded each other in the top office? Who said: ´I know that I can save this country and that nobody else can´? Who was the first Tory Prime Minister? And who was suspected of being the illegitimate half-brother of George III?

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Introduction: The Road to the Prime Ministership Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford - ´all these men have their price´ Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington - ´George II´s favourite nonentity´ Henry Pelham - Pragmatic Heir to Walpole Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle - Mighty Panjamdrum, Feeble Premier William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire - ´I have no motive but the King´s service´ John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute - the King´s ´dearest friend´ George Grenville - Able Premier, Undermined by his own Prolixity Charles Wentworth-Watson, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham - the Conscience of the Whigs William Pitt, the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham - ´I am sure that I can save this country, and that nobody else can´ Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Gracfton - Well-intentioned Dilettante Frederick North, styled Lord North - Outstanding Parliamentarian, Pity about the Colonies... William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne - Too Clever by Half William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland - Twice a Figurehead William Pitt, the Younger - Peacetime Prodigy, Less Successful in War Epilogue Appendix Index

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Dick Leonard is an historian, journalist and author and a former Labour MP. For many years he was Assistant Editor of The Economist, and headed their office in Brussels, where he was later also correspondent of The Observer. He also worked for the BBC, and contributed regularly to leading newspapers across the world. His publications include The Economist Guide to the European Union, Elections in Britain, A Century of Premiers: Salisbury to Blair; Nineteenth Century British Premiers: Pitt to Rosebery and Eighteenth Century British Premiers: Walpole to the Younger Pitt.

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