The Diaries of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury: 1825-1845, Part Two

Book excerpt: "Lord Ashley (later the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury), the 'Poor Man's Earl', is widely remembered as a leading aristocratic philanthropist whose concern for suffering and the oppressed victims of Victorian 'progress' saw him champion a range of social, industrial, educational, and health reforms. A deeply religious individual, his evangelicalism and sense of philanthropy as 'duty' make these extraordinarily rich and candid diaries a vital resource for understanding the motivations of a prominent philanthropist and Victorian social reformer. The Diaries of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury contain detailed accounts of his labours, religious and philosophical reflections, self analysis, and descriptions and criticisms of contemporaries, and offer thereby a fascinating insight into Victorian politics and social change." --