The Works of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, Embracing Novels, Romances, Plays, Poems, Biography, Short Stories and Great Speeches: Coningsby, v.2. Selected speeches

This volume is part of the substantial collected works of Benjamin Disraeli, the nineteenth-century British statesman and novelist who twice served as Prime Minister. Published during the late Victorian era, these collections were intended to cement Disraeli’s literary legacy alongside his formidable political reputation. The series sought to organize his vast output, ranging from his early political novels like Coningsby to his oratorical contributions, offering readers a comprehensive look at the intellect that shaped Tory party ideology.

The design of such collected editions typically adhered to the dignified aesthetic of late nineteenth-century publishing houses, which favored sturdy cloth or leather bindings and clear, legible typefaces suited for the private libraries of the British elite and aspiring middle class. The inclusion of his speeches alongside his prose highlights the era's fascination with the 'statesman-author,' a figure whose fictional narratives were seen as extensions of their political philosophies. These editions were well-received by contemporaries as essential records of a dominant cultural and political personality.