The Marquis D'Argenson: A Study in Criticism / Being the Stanhope Essay: Oxford, 1893

The essay follows a prominent aristocrat's progression from youth to high office, charting his successive public roles and administrative responsibilities. It recounts involvement in fiscal and parliamentary conflicts, provincial governance, press regulation, diplomatic affairs, and participation in political and intellectual circles. The author critically examines policy choices, diplomatic maneuvers, and reactions to financial and military crises while weighing personal motives, family ties, and character traits. Narrative chapters are interwoven with documentary correspondence and evaluative commentary, offering both chronological biography and critical assessment of effectiveness and influence.