78 The Eighteenth Century (1714 - /5/j)

She too, however, has her foray into social description, though
she confines herself interestingly to the capital in its capital
heyday.472 One would hardly look to Michael, whose monu-
mental history of the first half of the century has now reached
completion, for novel concepts or interpretations; his virtues,
especially his thorough dissection of international affairs,
continue to impress.473 Perhaps one might have expected
rather more from Watson whose contribution to the Oxford
History of England presents a clear enough account of the years
1760 - 1815 but succeeds neither in bringing them to life nor
in renovating an old story.474 Much more lively, though not
very deep, is \Vhite's brisk run through the age.475

(B) POLITICAL HISTORY

A number of monographs concentrate on the crises of the
period. Carswell succeeds in making the bubble of 1721 (crisis
of credit) comprehensible, a notable achievement.47S The new
dynasty's uncertain hold on the throne led to the expected
conspiracies, and Jones does good service by refusing to confine
himself to the two familiar risings,477 Beattie studies the polit-
ical influence of the court; Reitan the political consequences
of the necessity that the costs of monarchy be covered.478 The
irrational unrest of this age of reason appears formidably in

478 Dorothy Marshall, Dr Johnson's London. New York: Wiley: 1968.
Pp. xiv, 293. Rev: Hist 54, 286.

473 Wolfgang Michael, English Gesckichte im 18. Jahrhundert, Bd. V:
Englands Aufstieg zur Weltmacht. Basel: Verlag fur Recht und
Gcsellschaft; 1955. Pp. xvi, 726. Index to vols. 1-5.

474 J. Steven Watson, The Ragn of George ///, 1760 -1815. O: Claren-
don: 1960. Pp. xviii, 637. Rev: EHR 77, ii5&; HJ 4, 2i8ff.

*7i Reginald J. White, The Age of George III. L: Heinemann: 1968.
Pp. ix, 251.

*7f John P. Carswell, The South Sea Bubble. L: Cresset: 1960. Pp. xi,
314. Rev: EcHR* 16, 36rf,

477 G. H, Jones, The Mainstream, of Jacobitism. C (Mass.): Harvard
UP: 1954. Pp. x, 275. Rev: EHR 70, 672.

m John M. Beattie, 'The court of George I in English politics*, EHR
8r (1966), 26-37. ~E. A. Reitan, "The civil list in eighteenth-
century British politics: parliamentary supremacy versus the in-
dependence of the crown', HJ 9 (1966), 318-37.