This book has been in the making more years than I care to recall and it would probably never have been finished at all but for the assistance and encouragement I have received from others. First and foremost, I wish to thank for their generosity and patience those friends and fellow historians who have read the entire manuscript in draft, and from whose critical judgment (and stylistic decisiveness) it has greatly benefited: John Burrow, Peter Clarke, Stefan Collini, David Lieberman, David Reynolds, and Quentin Skinner. Distinguished as this company is, its members have not labored in the particular field of history with which this book is concerned. For that, among other reasons, the reading and suggestions of Robert H. Wiebe had a special value. At an earlier stage, the comments of Michael O'Brien and Roy Rosenzweig were most helpful. The doctoral dissertation from which the book developed was written under the shrewd supervision of William R. Brock and took shape under the guidance of William E. Leuchtenburg and Lawrence W. Levine. To Charles B. Forcey, I am indebted not only for valuable advice but also for permitting me to consult his notes on Walter Weyl's diary, a source to which I had no direct access. Indebted as I am for all this assistance, the final product is, of course, my responsibility alone.

A scholar living outside the United States is even more dependent than his American counterparts on financial assistance for research.