The Works of George Savile, Marquis of Halifax: Volume I (Oxford English Texts)

This completely new edition of the works of George Savile (1633-1695) allows a major reassessment of the notorious "trimmer" whose opposition to the Exclusion Bill probably saved the English throne. Of particular interest is Savile's literary output, which is broader and more reflective than the political propaganda for which he is better known. The editor has brought together all of the available texts by this prominent politician and writer, providing detailed introductions to each work and to Halifax's career in general, as well as a commentary that identifies and explains the numerous allusions. This is the first edition to make use of all sixty-one available manuscripts. Seventeen of the thirty works in this volume are being published for the first time.