Acknowledgements

Books are rarely written in isolation and this one is no exception. I’d therefore like to take this opportunity to thank Elisabeth Whitebread, Rosalind Loten and Stephen Tomkins for their helpful suggestions. I’m particularly grateful to Onor Crummay for giving up her time to pass on some very helpful advice.

I’d also like to record my appreciation to the ever efficient staff at the British Library for furnishing me with vast mountains of books.

I’m keen to express my thanks to my excellent agent Michael Alcock of Johnson & Alcock.

My deep gratitude goes to my editor at Quadrille, Céline Hughes.

And finally, thank you to you if you’ve bought this book, or borrowed it from a library – your taste is, as ever, impeccable.