Famed for his masterful oratory and fearless criticism of parliamentary opponents, William Pitt the Elder (1708–78) distinguished himself through the strong leadership he provided during Britain's struggle against France in the Seven Years' War. Edited by his great-grandsons and first published between 1838 and 1840, this four-volume collection presents nearly forty years' worth of letters to and from the great statesman. Each volume also contains a useful list of the principal officers of state for the period covered, along with facsimile plates of letters and signatures by some of Pitt's eminent correspondents. Volume 4 (1840) covers the period from November 1770 until Pitt's death in May 1778. Despite his retirement and deteriorating health, he continued to take an active interest in politics, writing to his many correspondents on a wide range of subjects, notably the unfolding American Revolution.