Paul Langford has been Professor of Modern History, University of Oxford, since 1996; Fellow, and Tutor in Modern History, Lincoln College, since 1970; Chairman and Chief Executive, Arts and Humanities Research Board, since 1998. His publications include A Polite and Commercial People 1727-83 (1989) and Public Life and the Propertied Englishman 1689-1789 (1991).