History of Science, Technology, and Philosophy in the 16th, 17th and 18th Centuries Book

So, a few parameters. First, there's a ridiculous amount of ground covered here. Detail isn't a priority. Second, the wholly chronologous structure makes for a slightly contrived whistle stop tour. Thirdly, Mitchison is absolutely not a social historian, so it's lives of the nobility or nothing. Church, bureaucratic and military history are her forte.

But, within those parameters this remains a fascinating tour through the development of the modern state. While church history excludes a great deal, a history told through the lens of the Scottish kirks does as much to elucidate the Scottish influence on English history as it does to obscure. There's hunners of tracts about the Scottish Enlightenment. This is a useful reminder of the importance of Scottish extremism.