This article subjects a variety of works on nineteenth century politics to
critical analysis, focusing on recent work in biography, popular politics,
and on those works that have shown an interest in post-structuralist approa
ches. Mostly it examines texts produced between 1993 and about 1997 with a
view to sensing an historiographical work, it brings the work of some of it
s adherents - perhaps especially James Vernon - under critical scrutiny and
concludes that a price has been paid for the attempt at constructing a 'cu
ltural politics'. In particular the article expresses alarm at the apparent
incoherence and sub-literacy of some post-structural statements.