A vivid record of nineteenth-century England. History made visible in biographies. Edited by Leslie Stephen, Dictionary of National Biography (Volume IV: Beal-Biber) assembles authoritative, characterful entries in a single national biography anthology, a biographical reference collection shaped by Victorian standards of scholarship and readable style. These victorian era biographies illuminate british historical figures across politics, letters, science and the arts, offering immediate human detail alongside the documentary evidence that makes the set useful beyond casual reading. Whether dipped into for a single life or consulted for comparative research, Volume IV supplies comprehensive life histories that reward curiosity and discipline in equal measure. As an indispensable witness to british cultural history and a direct predecessor to the oxford dictionary of biography, Volume IV occupies a central place in how nineteenth century England is recalled and studied. Compiled with an eye for factual precision and narrative clarity, these entries function as both a national biography anthology for readers and a scholarly research resource for the academy. Librarians list the DNB among key academic library reference works; historians and genealogists consult it for leads, context and the dense cross-references that connect families, institutions and movements. Beyond names and dates, the volume furnishes snapshots of social life, intellectual debate and public service that are invaluable for victorian literature studies, social history and studies of british historical figures more generally. Readers appreciate the readable cadence of entries and the editorial care that balances judgement with source-based evidence. The volume's cross-references and biographical breadth make it as serviceable for targeted scholarly queries as for leisurely exploration. For students, teachers and lifelong readers, it remains a vital doorway into the lived past. Casual readers enjoy brisk, engaging portraits; classic-literature collectors prize the volume's provenance and its role in charting Britain's intellectual terrain. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike.