Holland House

* Inside story of a unique - and highly influential - political salon * Intimate view of some of the greatest figures in nineteenth century politics and culture

Situated in the heart of London's Holland Park are the remains of Holland House - the site of what was once England's most celebrated political salon. In the first thirty years of the nineteenth century - when the Whig party was almost constantly out of office - the home of the third Lord Holland became the unofficial centre of the Opposition. Devoted to the ideals of the prominent Whig statesman Charles James Fox and enriched by the progressive views of a new generation of writers, critics and politicians, the influence of Holland House permeated the political climate. At a time when revolutions threatened to engulf Europe, the Whig tradition of aristocratic liberalism proved to be one of the chief factors in the peaceful achievement of parliamentary reform. Presided over by the beautiful and clever Lady Holland and combining discussion of politics and the arts, the salon attracted the greatest names of the age - Byron, Talleyrand and Madame de Stael were all frequent visitors. In this book, Linda Kelly brings to life the colourful world of Holland House.