The New York herald., 1868-03-15
BOOK NOTICE.


This book Is popularity. 1t is not biography 1t
is not history; 1t Is not critical and exhaustive
estimate OF Edmund Burke, the greatest and most
virtuous Irtshman of his own or perhaps any gene
ration, and certainly the most brilliant and philo-
sophie writer and speaker of the English language
Of the age In which he lived Is it critical and
exhaustive history Of his day and generation. 1t
wants alike the comprehensiveness and particularly
OF the former and the breadth and funess of the
latter 1t Is only fair, however to say that Mr.. Nor
ey's object would not have been served by adopting
either the biographical or historical FORM and that
so far as that object be gathered from the work
itself 1t has been accomplished with very considera
BILE success.
What was that objects II was to allow the author
to give vent to his sentiments on certain great ques
tions which were contemporary with the public life OF
the great orator and statesman and with which he
was incidentally rather than directly connected It
is here where we ind fault with Mr.. Morley's plan
All that he has said In the work before might have
been said with equal force and truthfuness In con-
nection with the names OF Fox, OF Pitt OF Gren-
Vile. OF Lord North any OF the great leading
OF that period. Edmund Burke, throughout the vol
ume, is but the peg on which Mr. Morley hangs his
political reflections. His reflections, however, are
good and apart altogether from the name Of Edmund
Burke the "Historical Study" must be regarded a
thoughtful and valuable contribution to the political
literature of the day.
Mr. Morley arranges his thoughts under six gene
raj heads or chapters, which are as follows:-Char
actertstcs, Issues OF the Time The Constitution.
American independence, Economical Reform,
Ireland and India. The French Revolution. 1t will
be seen at once by the reader who is at all familiar
with the events Of that period that the author has
chosen wide and varied field for study and renec-
tion Under the first head, Characteristics. Mr. Nor
ley endeavors to give idea Of the moral and in
teectual character of Burke. Under the second
head, The Issues Of the Time, the difficulties of
Burke's position as plebeian among proud and long
privileged patrcians is admirably Portrayed and
the great leading questions OF the hour, new all of
Lower House in the Legislature, i2l the supremacy
the onsd resppnslSy Of the Executive e
great ability and discussed from the stand
point Of an advanced and enlightened liberal. The
form, Ireland and India, and the last one on the
French Revolution, are all OF them well deserving
the attention OF the thoughtful student To Ameri-
pendence will naturally prove specially interesting.
At the close OF his chapter on the Constitution,
and when about to proceed to consider the great
struggle between the mother country and the colo
nies, the author pertnently remarks"It 1t Is almost
dcmonstraby certain that the vndicaton of the
supremacy Of popular interests all other consd.
erations would have been bootess TOLL and that the
great constitutional struggle from 1880 to l7s3 would
have ended otherwise than 1t did but for the failure
of the war against the nsnrgent colonies and the
final establishment OF American Independence. 1t
was this portentons transaction which finally routed
the arbitrary and desp0tc pretensions Of the House
Of Commons over the people. which put an end to
personal will supreme in the chambers, and which
established the principle of Cabinet distinguished
from departmental responsibility. Fox might well
talk Of an early rOyalist victory In the war the
terrible news from Long Island The struggle which
began successfully at Drentford, In Mddlesex, was
continued at Boston, in Massachusetts. The scene
had changed, but the conflicting principles were the
same. The defeat and subjugaton OF the colonists
would have been followed BY the final annihilation
OF the opposition In the mother country. The War OF
independence was virtually second English civil
war. The ruin OF the American cause would have
been also the ruin OF the constitutional in
memory ol Patrick Henry and George Washington
In such spirit is the chapter on American Inde
pendence conceived and in sucN spirit is 1t executed
cannot enter into details. It's concluding paragraph
however. is well worthy of reproduction
times there few objects Of meditation so interest
ing as the probable course of evolution in the great
empire whose origin we have been CONSIDERING The
en from those which have to be taken into account
in observing the development OF European civiliza
tion while at the same time there has been such
constant and reciprocal action at work between
America and Europe that our usdal historic appa-
ratus misses Its hold and application. 1t is cornpa-
ratively simple to trace the elements which America
contributes to the decomposition OF the old and the
construction Of the new state in Europe. But how,
with our ordinary methods can we discern the main
currents OF the history OF country first ncongru-
ously colonized by Swedes, Dutch French, Spanish
and English, which has never undergone the harmon
izing and binding influence Of uniform spiritual be-
lief; which daily receives enormous bodies Of imm-
grants with as many ways OF thinking as there
bodies about religion and government-about the
past and the future-whose territorial consolidation
Is not yet accomplished? How can we anayze or
understand, characterize national organization
that exists under such conditions theseg How at
tempt as yet to assign place in the history of
kind to the event which propelled America far out of
new and unfamiliar channels Of Its OWN For the
philosophy OF American history, the exposition of Its
moral forces, its roodeas, its expanding elements
for this we shall have long TO wait"
Mr.. Morley is at present editor Of the FOrtntJhty
Rere,r. He Is fair specimen Of the class Of men
whose influence will begin to be In the ascendant In
England directly the reformed Parliament comes
into existence. II is agreeable TO find such scholarly
qualifications allied to 80 much liberaiity OF senti.
ineEt The sign Is hopeful.
NAt