"I love the sense of optimism - the way the world is opening up and new discoveries are being made every day. But I also love the collision of ancient and modern, where you’ve still got personal relationships between patron and follower forming a big part of the way politics works, so it’s that much less cold and impersonal. I love the clothes - particularly stockings for men, and those gorgeous flaring coats. I love the combination of ferocity and refinement amongst the gentlemen, and the uninhibited noisy vulgarity of a society that seems to be really enjoying itself and feeling on top of the world."