Lord ActonLord Acton (1834-1902), numbered among the most esteemed Victorian historical thinkers, was much respected for his vast learning, his ideas on politics and religion, and his lifelong preoccupation with human freedom. Yet Acton was in many ways an outsider. He stood apart from his contemporaries, doubting the notion of unlimited progress and the blessings of nationalism and democracy. He differed from fellow members of the English upper class, holding to his Catholic faith. And he angered other Catholic believers by fiercely opposing the doctrine of papal infallibility. In this remarkable biography, Roland Hill is the first to make full use of the vast collection of books, documents, and private papers in the Acton archives to tell the story of the enigmatic Lord Acton. The book describes Acton's extended family of European aristocrats, his cosmopolitan upbringing, and his disrupted education. Drawing a lively picture of politics and religion at the time, Hill discusses Acton's brief career as a Liberal member of Parliament, his work as editor and owner of learned Catholic journals, his battles for freedom for and in the Catholic Church, his friendship with William E. Gladstone, and his seven years as Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University. Though unable to complete The Cambridge Modern History series he envisaged, Acton transformed historical study and left a legacy of ideas that continues to influence historians today. |
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Acton to Annie Acton to Döllinger Acton to Mary Acton to W. E. Acton wrote Aldenham Anglican Annie Acton Archbishop Archives Bavarian bishops BL Add Bridgnorth Briefwechsel British Cambridge Cardinal Catholicism century Church Countess Arco Creighton CUL Add Dalberg daughter December Diaries dogma Döl Dupanloup England English Catholic faith father February French German Gladstone's Henry Herrnsheim historian Irish Italian January John Acton John Henry Newman John Neville Figgis journal July June Lady Blennerhassett later lecture Letters to Mary liberal Library London Lord Acton Lord Granville Mamy Acton Mandell Creighton March Mary Gladstone moral Morley mother Munich Naples Newman Nonna November October Old Catholic Papal Infallibility Pius political Pope Professor Protestant published Queen Rambler religion religious Richard Acton Roman Rome Rosebery Selected Writings Simpson Sir John Acton Strossmayer Tegernsee temporal power Theiner theology Throckmorton told Ultramontanism Vatican Council W. E. Gladstone wanted Wiseman