Amongst those who have advised and helped me during my research, I would particularly like to thank Gareth Stedman Jones, who as supervisor of the thesis on which this book is based provided invaluable guidance and insight; in addition, I am greatly indebted to Tony Tanner for patiently reading and discussing my work at various stages and giving so much support. I would also especially like to acknowledge Isobel Banks, Eric Brenman, Roy Porter, Jennifer Davis, Simon Schaffer, Gillian Beer, Quentin Skinner, Michael Neve, Paul Ginsborg, Stephen Heath and David Feldman, all of whom have generously given up time at some stage of this project to make specific comments on the material or to offer encouragement and observations. But no one, needless to say, can bear responsibility for the limitations and deficiencies which remain except myself. I would like to express thanks to Sylvia Sylvester for her kind and efficient help with the production of the final text. The Economic and Social Research Council, the Political Science Fund (Cambridge University), the British Academy and Christ's College, Cambridge have provided grants which enabled me to carry out various research visits to France and Italy. I must also record my gratitude to the Master and Fellows of Christ's for electing me to a Research Fellowship in 1986.