• List of abbreviations -- Chronology -- INTRODUCTION -- CHAPTER 1 'Superior even to Charles Fox': The short path to power -- Great Chatham's son -- Shelburne's Chancellor of the Exchequer -- Thurlow and Temple's co-conspirator -- The King's Minister -- CHAPTER 2 'Awkward I am certain in a certain quarter': Pitt and the King -- The alliance of opposites -- Management of foreign policy -- Patronage and politics -- The personal affairs of the Royal Family -- CHAPTER 3 'Really master now': Pitt as Prime Minister -- Leading Minister in a coalition Cabinet -- The escape from Cabinet constraints -- Securing the Premiership: Pitt versus Thurlow -- Coalition and containment of the Portland Whigs -- The zenith of Pitt's Prime Ministerial system -- CHAPTER 4 'The ambition of my life': Pitt and the business of government -- The governing passion -- Guiding the national recovery -- Apostate reformer or compulsive improver? -- Personal limitations as a 'man of business' -- The changing pace of improvement -- CHAPTER 5 'The theatre of future fame': Pitt and the House of Commons -- 'I want to speak in the House of Commons' -- Learning the arts of parliamentary management -- Old and new in the Pitt management style -- Control of the committee system as the key to business -- Toss and throw him as you will, he always lights upon his feet' -- CHAPTER 6 'The impression and effect of numbers on our side': Pitt and the people -- The appeal to 'the public at large' -- Parameters of Pitt's popularism -- Invoking public involvement in politics -- Making a stand upon right ground -- The balance of law and liberty -- Mobilising loyalism -- Knowing 'the people of England' -- CHAPTER 7 'To diminish the temptation to wars of ambition': Pitt and the powers of Europe -- Too inexperienced to meddle much in foreign affairs -- Pitt's Grand Design -- Origins and outbreak of the Great War with France -- Pitt as a War Minister -- The quest for a winning Grand Alliance -- CHAPTER 8 'Enough to kill a man': The erosion of power -- 'The doubt of being equal to all I want to do' -- The Catholic Question and the fall of the Ministry -- Pitt out of Office - the pursuit of 'character' -- The flawed victory of 1804 -- 'Too late for anything': the tragedy of 1805 -- Further reading -- Index.

"an excellent essay"English Historical Review "a fresh analysis...enviably lucidly written"History