The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24
SOME KEW BOOH,L
Tn. French Revolutionary Epoch.


tuta at present in tho English language. II
VIZ consider both the conprchensiyencss Of tho
theme and the succncncss OF tho treatment
Nor will IL be found unuscful to tho stu
don't Of contemporary French politics whose
specific tendencies and complications cannot
be understood without n knowledge OF tho
transformations. collisions. and reactions OF tho
past hundred ycnrs. For American renders
therefore. it may BE- said 10 have secured Il tenn
Dorary monopoly Of 4 most interesting topic.
Elucntcd persons can scarcely afford to neglect
Dir. Van Jauns book. which at least purports
10 deal with the movements and events Of
whole epoch. with the far-rcachng influence
nnd Inter dependence Of phenomena whose
significance heretofore had to DO deduced from
fraRmentary records.
But Just because the author has undertaken
naree and e1acting task. and because he has on
tered upon field In parts OF which he docs not
look for competitors among competent English
writer's. the execution Of his work ought b be
subjected to close scrutiny. We have n right 20
expect from him. as tho heir Of modern inyest-
cation mud the reviewer Of whole century, on
the ono hand supcrlative accuracy In dctaile.a and
pn The other the luminous suggestion andthe iu-
dical criticism which are based on n COMPARE
son Of causes with their remote effects. Unless
the narrative Of given period-like that which
witnessed the revolution Of the first French Re-
public or that which saw the founding OF tho
Second Empre-can bo traced with increased
eNactitude and a profounder insight in view OF
recent research and the lessons q subsequent
politics. then the reader may find himself
constrained. 50 far as such sections OF
tue authors broad theme are concerned
20 recur TO the pages Of Kngl0ko and
carlyle. There would still remain. however.
certain subdivisions Of the revolutionary epoch
in which Mr. Van Laun has no such compari-
lAon to apprehend; rs when. for instance from
tile point OF view Of an EnglishmAn writing for
English readers. he describes the Restoration.
the reign Of Louis Philippe. and the concluding
Fart of tho Third Napolcon's career. For
Alfording q faithful aud tOlcrably animated
picture Of those periods. nowhere rise presented
IN close relation with ono another and with
nn,ocedent events. aud for thus enabling the
reader 10 institute certain parallels and draw
certain conclus ions Tor himself. We are under
considerable obligations ~ the author OF these
volumes.
But these words Of commentator. unluckily
ean go no further. There are chapters In this
history which are made. not more lucid. hut more
Obscure 10y the writer's attempt at eNplanaton-
chapters from which We turn to other sources
for exhaustive or even veracious Information.
And We are bound 10 sly that We miss too FREE
The theme invited. the instructive relcgation Of
social forces and moral currents TO their foun-
tain heads. the Interpretation OF contem pornry
France blythe fatal compleXity OF its Inheritance
md. above all. that generous exposition. for
which the hour has surely come Of the aims
Rnd motives. the achievements. the aspirations
aud the Agonies Of the long discreditod men
Who created the first F.ench Republic
We do not propose TO dwell on the solccisms.
pullicisms. aud verbal or rhetorical errors OF
other kinds which the reader will notice not In
frequently in these volumes. but which eau
easily be corrected In second edition. BY
translatlng some Of Taine's books Mr.. Van
IAun seems to have obtained n certain reputa-
tion IA Awriter Of good English. but we infer
that those performances must have received se-
we're revision at his own or other hands. In
this instance the writer's style Is strangely slip
shod. and at times perfectly unintelligible. We
would draw attention. however. to a fault much
graver and apparently less susceptible of cure.
namely. timid. lukewarm. huctuating spirit
tn dealing with crises and events which may
~ell electrfy tho sympathies and wiring the
heart Of man. and on the other hand. n
want II fixed. deliberate convictions on some
oi the most momentous political and So
eial problems. We give MIR. Van Laun
credit for wish 20 be impartial. we can
especially recognize his good intentions ia
the chapter borrowed from Talne's "Ancien
Regime" whore be refuses to echo that writer's
dsingenuous indictment OF republican ideas.
But he cannot be Just TO the republic. for he has
no rooted faith In il no fervent love for it, He
contents himself with sitting somewhat wHrily
The statements OF It's opponents. He scarcely
b'oms to perceive that tho history OF the Con-
Vention is unwritten. that tho men OF 80 live
only In the snear and the invective % their enc
nics. and therefore Mr.. Van luun IA not the
man to rend the age-long veil Of dctraotion
which OTIS cures their ineaments. We may best
indicate tho scope and nature Of the author
SHORTCOMINGS by Contrasting with the pale.
meagre. aud often contradictory record un-
folded IN his pages an outline OF the veritable
Significance belonging TO certain measures and
actors in that memorable half-decade which be-
hold the birth-throes the triumph. and the col
lapse OF revolutionary France.
There are two or three occasions in this por
tiou Of his narrative when Mr. Van Laun OK
hibits Mt all events a willingness to diyerge from
the ruts 81 stereotyped opinion. and TO discover
the real mould aud bent Of certain characters.
and the true meaning OF events. His portrait
OF Marie Antoinette for instance though not
altogether coherent or dcepenod in our ludg-
mont to the right measure Of severity, IL far
moro faithful To the life than the traditional pic
turs OF innocence and meek ness ana long sui
couTtly sontmentaH's. To Mr.. Van LRun this
woman is no martyr. and he would seemingly
concede 10 her a far less equitable claim upon
our pity than has Charles |. Ho shows her 10
ns as she WIS. vain ana frivolous girl. dovel-
Oping. under the pressure Of events into u do
signing, spteiul, intractabe. and vlndictiye
woman, implacable in her anmosites. faithlcss
tn her friendships Grazen in her disregard OF
Voracity and good faith, deaf to the most rational
and persuasive peadlngs for tho rights
OF man, dead 10 every generous sympathy
which transcribed the poor bounds OF q
clique or Of caste. We SEQ her
continually STOPPING TO the meanest cozen-
are and shameless treachery. a deliberate per-
turer, asleepless foe TO Constitution which
repeatedly and under the most solemn sanction
sho had made oath 10 accept, and under which
the Grown received a civil list OF thirty mil
hons from bankrupt nation; in word. wo-
man whose secret dealings with foreign courts
and corrupt practices at home involved one long
at OF treason against the commonwealth Mr.
Van Laun seems TO perceive though he does
not embody the truth In peremptory abatement.
that but for the presence Of this Austrian prin-