The New York herald., 1871-02-12
LITERATURE.
Criticism Of New Books.

TIE Holy ROMAN EMPIRE. BY James Bryce, d. c. L.,
Professor OF Civil Law III the University OF Oxford
Third edition; revised Macmillan Co., LONDON
and New York.
In his preface to the third edition Dr. Bryce tells
ia that the object OF his is not much to
give narrative history of the countries included In
the Romano Germanlc empire as to describe the
Holy empire itself as institution or system. the
wonderful ofspr.ng OF body Of beliefs and tradi-
tions which have almost wholly passed away from
the world. In carrying out his purpose Dr. Byrce
has been abundany successful, and 1t is not, we
think unfair to the many who have laborel in the
same field to say that considering the limits within
which the Doctor has confined himself,
he has given US by far the best book
which exists perhaps in any language on the Holy
Roman empire. The book consists OF twenty-one
chapters, headed respectivey:-The Roman Empire
before the Invasion OF the Barbarians-The Bar
barian Invason-Restoratlon of the Empire In the
West-Empire and Policy of Charles-Carolingian
and Italian Emperors-Theory OF the Medieval EN-
plre-rhe Roman Empire ana the German King
dom-Saxen and Franconian Emperors-Struggle OF
the Empire and the Papacy-The Emrerors In
Italy; Frederick Barbarossa-Imperal Titles and
Pretensions-Fal Of the Hobenstanfen-The Ger
manic Constitution; the Seven Eectors-The EN-
pire as an International P0wer-The Guy of Rome
IN the Middle Ages-The Renaissance-The Re-
OF Westphalia; Last Stage in the Decline OF the
Empire-Fall of the Empire-General Summary
Over this vast field the Intelligent reader is carried
with uu1agging interest. In every department OF
his subject DR.. Bryce Is thoroughly at home and
even when dealing with the most recondite mate
rails the charm and simplicity OF his style such
that the reader carried along through the pages
of romance. This Is a kind Of history which must
become more and more popular. In this age OF
steam and electricity and newspapers we have no
time even if we had the taste, for ten and twenty
volume histories. How few find time to get through
such works as "Gibbon's Decline and Falln or
sGrote's Greece or ''Bancr0ft's United States ~
What we want is, to have history read and inter-
preted for u.s. not reproduced In protracted chroni-
cles and wordy dissertations. All that is worth
Knowing OF the Holy Roman empire or the causes
which led to Its establishment under Charlie
magne in the year 800, OF its external and
internal history up until the date OF its
fall In the year 1906, when Frarcs the Second re-
signed the crown OF Constantine. of Charlemagne,
OF Otho OF Frederick OF the Red Red Beard may be
learned from these 400 pages. DIR. Bryce's work
derives special value from the circumstance
that 1t appears at time when the German empire
has been formally re-estabshed, although under
new conditions and when the minds OF men are
naturally occupied with the subjects OF which it
treats. Since 1906 the sarcastic saying OF Voltaire
that the holy Roman empire was neither Roman
nor holy, nor an empire, has been literally true.
The empire, however is once more a fact although
it is not now nor likely to be either Roman or
holy An excellent chronological table adds greatly
to the value and usefulness OF the treatise When
we have said that the book is got up in Macmlllans
best style, we have said enough in praise OF work
which must become favorte with every student OF
history On the special subject OF which 1t treats 1t
I will be found an admirable university text book.