Stanhope

Stanhope, PHILIP HENRY, EARL, historian and biographer, was sixth in descent from the first Earl of Chesterfield, and fourth from James, first Earl Stanhope (1675-1721), an eminent military commander, who effected the redaction of Port Mahou in Minorca, and was the favourite minister of George I. His grandson, Charles, third Earl (1753-1816), was an advanced Liberal, distinguished for his scientific researches, and the inventor of a printing-press which bears his name. The subject of this notice, only son of the fourth earl, was born at Walmer, 31st January 1805. He took his B.A. at Oxford in 1827, and seven years later was created D.C.L., having entered the House of Commons in 1830. He was greatly instrumental in 1842 in securing the passing of the Copyright Act (q.v.), was Under-secretary for Foreign Affairs during the brief Peel administration (1834-35), and Secretary to the Indian Board of Control under the same minister (1845-46). He was a moderate Conservative in politics, and was warmly attached to Sir Robert Peel, who named him one of his literary executors, and whose Memoirs he edited in conjunction with Mr Cardwell. His contributions to history are numerous and valuable. Macaulay, in a review of his War of the Succession in Spain (1832), credits him with some of the most valuable qualities of a historian—viz. perspicuousness, conciseness, 'great diligence in examining authorities, great judgment in weighing testimony, and great impartiality in estimating characters.' His most considerable work is A History of England from the Peace of Utrecht to the Peace of Versailles, 1713-83 (7 vols. 1836-54); and his other works include Lives of Belisarius, Condé (originally in French), and Pitt; a History of Spain under Charles II.; an edition of Lord Chesterfield's Letters; Historical and Critical Essays; and Miscellanies. He was elected President of the Society of Antiquaries (1846), and Lord Rector of the university of Aberdeen (1858). He was known by the courtesy title of Viscount Mahon till 1855, when he succeeded his father in the earldom. He was mainly instrumental in procuring the appointment of the Historical Manuscripts Commission and the foundation of the National Portrait Gallery. In 1872 he was elected one of the six foreign members of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences at Paris, and he died at Bournemouth, 22d December 1875.