Manuscript

Jermyn St: n.p., 1849. Printed on both sides in a neat small hand in brown ink. This manuscript contains alphabetized selection of books and authors that Fortescue apparently read, and includes his critical notes on each. It would seem that Fortescue might have been planning to write a book of literary criticism, as he would add additional notes throughout the following year to this alphabetized manuscript.

Fortescue (Lord Carlingford) (1823-1898) was the son of Chichester Fortescue (d. 1826). He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford where he took a first in classics and won the chancellor’s English essay. From 1847 to 1874 he was elected to parliament for Louth as a liberal. He was junior lord of the treasury, under-secretary of state for the colonies, and succeeded Robert Peel as chief secretary for Ireland under Lord Russell. On formation of Gladstone’s first administration he became president of the Board of Trade, later lord privy seal and president of the council. He shared the burden and the credit of some great reforms following the disestablishment of the Irish Church. John Stuart Mill described his measure as the most important passed by the British parliament since the Roman Catholic Emancipation act. He was raised to the peerage as Lord Carlingford, and succeeded Lord Spencer as president of the council. He was known as a man of admirable character and engaging manners. His wife, Frances Elizabeth Anne, Lady Waldegrave, was a great help in her counsel and encouragement through the most active part of his public career.