I2O The Nineteenth Century (1815 - 1914) First International,747 while Hunger contributes a book on the part played by Engels which, despite its immaculate dogmatic foundations, has much value on account of its careful treat- ment of important materials.748 Lastly we may note a promis- ing new departure: a study of what happened instead of what people wrote. Thompson demonstrates that in the political battle for the control of London the Fabians' part has been ^grossly exaggerated5, while the organized social democrats did much better than the gradualist legend supposes.749 The history of the Irish party, influential beyond its numbers, belongs in the main to the history of Ireland where it shall be treated (nn. 1318-37). But Lyons' treatise on the twenty years between ParnelPs fall and the revival of the struggle for in- dependence looks at it almost entirely in the context of the Westminster parliament - quite rightly, for that period.750 (0) GOVERNMENT It is no news to anyone that the nineteenth century witnessed a full-scale revolution in the nature and tasks of government. Twice as many people in the same territory, increasingly gathered in towns and in an industrial economy: the facts posed masses of social problems and demanded administrative changes which were for ever calling old concepts of freedom and legal rights in doubt. Though many details still remain obscure, historians have at last moved from comfortable generalizations and the reading of approved prophets to the rigorous study of the sources. Inevitably, this situation has led to some necessary but premature conclusions and some under- 747 Henry Collins and Chimen Abramsky, Karl Marx and the British Labour Movement. L: Macmillan: 1965. Pp. xi, 356. Rev: VS 10, 9»£ 748 S. Hunger, Friedrich Engels und die britische sozialistische Bewfgung, /#§/-i#95, Berlin: Rutter u. Loening: 1962. Pp. 242. Rev: &*R, 79, 634. 749 Paul Thompson, $ocialists9 Liberals and Labour: the struggle for Lmdon, 1885 - *9*4* L: Routledge: 1967, Pp. viii, 376. Rev: HJ 7*f F. S, L. Lyons, The Irish Parliamentary Party 1890 - 1910. L: Faber: 1951. Pp. 284.