“Monument to James Harris, First Earl of Malmesbury,” by Sir Francis Chantrey

James Harris, First Earl of Malmesbury by Sir Francis Chantrey. 1823. Marble. Salisbury Cathedral. [Click on these images to enlarge them.]

Described by H. N.Scott as "the leading British diplomatist of his generation," Malmesbury (1746-1820) was mentor both to George Canning in the later 1790s, and guardian and mentor to Palmerston. Scott continues, "His diaries and correspondence, published in 1844 by his grandson the third earl of Malmesbury, are a valuable source for the political and diplomatic history of the period."

The monument shows the elder statesman still apparently dispensing wisdom from a semi-reclining posture, perhaps reflecting the fact that he suffered from ill health in his later years, but continued to advise his protégés.

Photographs and text by Robert Freidus, with additional comments by Jacqueline Banerjee. You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.

Bibliography

Scott, H. M. "Harris, James, first earl of Malmesbury (1746–1820), diplomatist." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Online ed. Web. 16 January 2024.


Created 1 November 2018

Last modified 16 January 2024.