Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Acknowledgements vii
4. Abbreviations x
5. Note on Correspondence xi
6. Prologue: The Gentleman Adventurer xiii
7. Introduction: The Periodic Legend 1
8. PART I ‘THE PRENTICE POLITICIAN’, 1885–92
9. Part I Introduction 9
10. 1 Land and Labour: Words Adorned by Reason 11
11. 2 Political Influences: Metamorphosis 23
12. 3 Parliament: The Practical Idealist 34
13. 4 Political Journalism: Confidence and Impunity 59
14. 5 Empire: Imperial Sceptic 69
15. 6 Colonialism: The Hand of Man 74
16. 7 Ireland and Scotland: A Patient Realist 77
17. Part 1 Conclusion 91
18. PART II ‘THE FOUNTAIN OF HIS BRAIN’, 1893–1913
19. Part II Introduction 99
20. 8 Labour: An Aristocratic Minority 103
21. 9 Literary Career: A Queer Potency 112
22. 10 Empire: The Insidious Bacillus 115
23. 11 The Sketches: A Secondary Storyteller 123
24. 12 Colonialism: Misdirected Labours 130
25. 13 Scotland: The Familiar Kail-yard 139
26. Part II Conclusion 177
27. PART III ‘THE FLESHLY TENEMENT’, 1914–36
28. Part III Introduction 185
29. 14 Labour: Touched by Pitch 187
30. 15 Empire and Colonialism: Volte-face 198
31. 16 Scotland: Awakening of a Nation 204
32. 17 Continuing Literary Works: Things Unalike 222
33. 18 Obituaries and Appreciations: An Immortal Type 231
34. Part III Conclusion 235
35. Conclusion 241
36. The Literature 252
37. Appendices 263
38. Bibliography 295
39. Index 312