Herbert W. (Herbert Woodfield) Paul

Educated at Eton and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Herbert Woodfield Paul became known in public life both as a writer and as a Liberal politician. He was called to the bar, worked as a journalist and leader-writer for the Daily News, and later served in Parliament.

Paul wrote across biography, history, and criticism, bringing a clear, argumentative style to subjects such as Jonathan Swift, William Ewart Gladstone, Queen Anne, and the historian James Anthony Froude. His work reflects a strong interest in British politics, ideas, and the personalities who shaped them.

Born in 1853 and dying in 1935, he belonged to a generation that moved easily between journalism, politics, and literary culture. That mix gives his books an appealing combination of historical knowledge, political insight, and readable prose.