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Genius Neil Sedaka Should Call on the Eighteenth Century
One of my all time favourite people is US singer Neil Sedaka. He just died aged 86 and listening to his songs it occurred to me he was a musical genius. Therefore I would like to tell him to look up my Eighteenth century acquaintances when he arrives. Click. Read.
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William Pitt the Elder – 18th Century British Prime Minister (1766–1768) | PMs on the Pan
A great Parliamentarian, but not such a good Prime Minister. A formidable war leader and orator in the Commons, and father of the even more famous William Pitt the Younger — office suited him rather less than the floor of Parliament did.
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Happy Birthday to Adam Smith’s ‘Wealth of Nations’
On 9 March 2026 a bunch of folk will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the publication of the Wealth of Nations. The book, written by Scottish philosopher Adam Smith, was published in 1776. The book led to its author being labelled the father of modern economics. Come on, Read!!
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Marquess of Rockingham (First Term) – 18th Century British Prime Minister (1765–1766) | PMs on the Pan
Britain’s ninth Prime Minister made an historic contribution to politics during his term — Britain became the first nation in the world to develop this system, evolved alongside his friend, the Irishman and philosopher Edmund Burke. His real legacy isn’t what you’d expect.
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Benn’s Sixpenny Library Explodes with Knowledge
Want an entertaining and learned history book exploding with detail, written between the Wars? Oh, please, everybody wants that. Try Benn’s Sixpenny Library. There are 252 titles in the series. My copy’s about Eighteenth century Prime Ministers. Go get one. After you read this post. Cho!
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Glasgow’s Eighteenth Century Tobacco Merchant’s House
I found myself in Glasgow the other day with a few mins on my hands before my train….What do I do? Visit the Eighteenth century Tobacco Merchant’s House, of course. It’s just a minute walk from where Hollywood likes to film disaster scenes for blockbuster movies. Read on.
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George Grenville – 18th Century British Prime Minister (1763–1765) | PMs on the Pan
Remembered as the man who introduced the Stamp Act to the American colonies, setting in train the events that led to independence. From a hugely political family in Buckinghamshire, William Pitt was his brother-in-law, and he prosecuted the ‘folk hero’ John Wilkes. A consequential and combative figure.
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Edward Gibbon’s Genius Moment on 15 October 1764
All great things have a moment of conception, a single point in time when the light comes on and an idea is born. I call this a Genius Moment. Edward Gibbon had one, resulting in his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Read on, Macduff!
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Genius Fan Celebrates Its First Birthday Today!
Today, Genius Fan celebrates its 1st birthday. I’m really pleased that it’s reached this far. It started off as a way to force myself to sketch by setting the challenge of drawing two scenes each week as a way of improving my illustration skills. And the idea was to post…
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Earl of Bute – 18th Century British Prime Minister (1762–1763) | PMs on the Pan
He may only have been in office for 318 days, but just about everybody hated Britain’s 7th Prime Minister — Scotsman, Tory, and the most unpopular man in the room. Here’s why he never stood a chance.
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250 Years since Gibbon’s Masterpiece The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
On Tuesday 17 February it will be the 250th anniversary of a masterpiece in scholarship and literature, a book, or rather a work in six volumes, which many will know, but only a few have read. Of course…you all knew! It’s Edward Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,…
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Duke of Newcastle (Second Term) – 18th Century British Prime Minister (1757–1762) | PMs on the Pan
Britain’s 4th and 6th Prime Minister returned to the top job in 1757, and just two years later, alongside William Pitt the Elder, engineered the 1759 ‘annus mirabilis’ — the run of victories that launched Britain’s global supremacy. His second act was his best one.
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Cookin’ Burns’ Puddin’ in the Twenty First Century
This post is confessional. It’s like a diary entry, rather than a post about the Eighteenth century, but since it’s about the haggis and Burns Night (Rabbie Burns being an Eighteenth century Scottish character) I felt I could, nay, should, reveal how I ate my haggis on Burns Night 2026.…
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Duke of Devonshire – 18th Century British Prime Minister (1756–1757) | PMs on the Pan
Britain’s fifth Prime Minister, in office from 1756 to 1757, owned the gigantic stately home Chatsworth House — the one used as Darcy’s Pemberley in the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice. A short premiership, a very large house.
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I’m James Boswell. How well do you know me?
Let me introduce myself: my name’s James Boswell. I’m from the Eighteenth century and, though I say it myself, I’m a pretty big deal for scholars, writers and readers. But how much do you know about the people I met? Take my quiz and test yourself…
