William Windham and the French Revolution, 1789-1800
Abstract
CHAPTER I AN ALTERED ATTITUDE LEADS TO AN UNEXPECTED UNION "Great men on whom she [Madame de'Arblay] had gazed at a distance with humble reverence, addressed her with admiration, tempered by the tenderness due to her sex and age. Burke, Windham, Gibbon, Reynolds, Sheridan were among her most ardent admirers." Burke, Gibbon, Reynolds, Sheridan—these are familiar names. But who is this Windham? The object of this paper will be to make a study of the influence of the French Revolution on the life and activity of a man ranked by Macaulay as one of the "great men" of his time. The attitude of William Windham toward the French Revolution at its inception was quite favorable. He urged Fox to come over to France "as it was right such glorious scenes should have the sanction of an eminent Englishman attached to the principles of liberty." In August, 1789 he viewed the situation in France as a struggle for liberty ascribing to popular fury any disorders that were present, Holland called him a "warm admirer of the French Revolution at its commencement" and in the political dissension which ultimately split the Whig party, Windham at first sided with C.J. Fox, the ardent supporter of the Revolution.
Subject Area
History
Recommended Citation
Nicoll, Leo A, "William Windham and the French Revolution, 1789-1800" (1960). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI28673295.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI28673295
