Book Description

Volume 1 The Making of THE GEORGIAN GENTLEMAN Michael Brander penetrates the much romanticised era of the Georgian Gentleman showing how he really lived. It was a time of peaceful agricultural growth at home and of lengthy wars abroad, the start of an overseas Empire as British merchants seized commercial opportunities backed by naval supremacy. It was a period of balls and masques, of refinement, grace, moderation and scholarship, of drunkenness, gaming, duelling and folly, of strong odours, flickering candlelight, dirt and disease. It saw the development of the canal system and of regular stage coach services with steadily improving high roads resulting in faster and more reliable communication, while a network of small ports and harbours round the coast plied a busy, sometimes illicit, trade. Steam power and the first railways heralded the end of the period. The reality of the life of a gentleman of the day is shown, often in his own vivid phraseology, depicting his childhood, his education and travels, the clothes he wore, his pastimes, hunting, shooting, gaming, his clubs and entertainments, his wagers, wenching, debts and duels, his servants, sanitation and diet, the financial tightropes, the pretences and aspirations, as well as the ailments and the physicians, either of which only the hale and hearty could survive. Water was generally not fit to drink unless mixed with ale or wine, but Spas for taking the waters were popular. This is a vibrating picture of a colourful part of social history, the start of the saga of the English Gentleman. Michael Brander is an M.A. Hist/Econ (hons) Cantab. He was born in Edinburgh and has written over fifty books on social and military history, biography, travel, horses, dogs and whisky (and contributed to a hilarious cook-book by his wife, Evelyn), almost all published in the USA. As one reviewer put it he writes entertainingly and very readably, with remarkably wide ranging research, and knows a good anecdote when he sees one.