This coloured chalk drawing shows James Bryce, a statesman and
historian who made important contributions to British pre-war
politics and academia. Born in Belfast, he was educated in
Glasgow and later Oxford, where he became professor of civil
law. A Liberal, he entered parliament in 1880, first for the
London constituency of Tower Hamlets and later for South
Aberdeen. He held various cabinet positions until his
appointment as ambassador to the US, from 1907-1913. Meanwhile
he gained academic credit for his publications of `Holy Roman
Empire? (1864), `The American Commonwealth? (1888) and
`Impressions? (1897), the last work being about his visit to
South Africa. His 1915 report on German behaviour in Belgium
influenced American opinion before the country?s entry into the
First World War.