The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-28
NEW BOOhS.
The Hi.tory of the English People.

Fngiish PeoDiD by JONI RICHARD GREEN (Har-
pcr'sl, contains more striking and satisfactory
work than did the first installmcnt. The more
favorable impression may be partly duo to the
fact that the author formerly invited comparl-
son with Mr.. Freeman. while tho only recent
occupant ~ his present ground is Mr.. Froudc.
whose authority. Wa need not say is Ivy this
time seriously impeachcd however potent and
enduring may bc the charm OF his narrative.
But the intrinsic nature Of the thcmc, in this
instance offers scope for larger results
to the patient and candid inquiry watch
we expect from n pupil " Prof. Stubs
for the period here covrrcd-from the triumph
OF the House OF York on TowtOn field to the ac-
ccssion of the House of Stuart-is one Of su-
prone significance md interest To the English
speaking race. 1t was during this century and
n half that the mould and stamp Of the English
nation WAS determined. that the question was
settled once for all whether institutions which
had wtlsood the pressure " Norman and
Angcvin. and which under the Inst pantagnnc,s
and the House Of Lancaster had we'll nigh fore
stalled the existing parliamentary machinery.
wore now to share the wreck II other FREQ con-
stiiutions-of the Italian and Flemish liberties.
the Spanish Cortrs. the States General Of France
or whether. though stuntcd and shaken. they
were yet to keep the sap Of lio ana transmit
chiefs Of the Long Parliament.
MIR. Green traces in this volume. with fulncss
and clearncss, the symptoms and causes of the
social mctamorphosis and political reaction
which. in the hands Of mon whose ability IL not
generally understood. Seemed. for q long time.
likely 10 rcar II fabric Of dcspotsm in ENGLAND
AZ solid and as absolute as that which hcheliru
was to organize century later across the
Channel. In his analysis Of the circumstances
amid which the hnrd-won liberties Of English
men werv suhvcrtcd or surrendered, and which
whether pariamcnts were boldly discontinued
or adroilly pros;iutcd. seemed equally fatal To
the survival of popular rights the author some
times arrives at novel conclusions. for which.
however he Is careful to cite documentary evil
dcnc',. His whole account Of the Transformation
which befcll England in the critical fifteenth ami
sixteenth centuries deserves careful study. hut
there are features Of it which require particular
attention. These are the precise results at
tributed 60 the wars Of the Roses vaguely
charged in most books with the ruin Of the bar
onurr and with little escl-thc aim aud spirit Of
ia" New Learning. as mirrorrd in the Lilo
aud Writings OF Sir Thomas More" and. last
". the portrait OF Thomas Cromwell who has
mover before been placed on so high plnnn Of
intellectual greatness. or credited with leaving
50 profound an impress on the whole structure
ani rsscncc. the creed. polity. md social insti-
iutions " tho English people,
What WAS the state Of things. social and puliti-
cal. which passed away in the long fever of civil
war and anarchy that rackcd the latter part Of
tho life II Henry VIZ In the words Of Conn
mines the wars VI the Roses found England
among all the worlds lorlships of which |
hive knowledge. that where the public veal is
best ordered. and whore loast violeace rpigns
over the people, An English King it WIS no.
ticrd 10y the same observer. could undertake.
M enterprise " account without assembling h Is
Parliament. which Is n thing" hc adds. " most
wise and holy. and therefore are these Kings
stronger and better served In like strain.
Sir John Fortescue. writing In the carly years
of the last l.ancastrinn sovereign. could boast
TINT the English kingship was not nm absolute.
Int n limited monarchy. THE land" lac said.
was not n land where the will Of the Prince
was itself law. but where the Prince could
neither make laws nor impose taxes save blythe
his SUBJECTS consent At no time had tho
| House nf Commons played So constant aud
prominent part IN tho government ~ the
realm. nor had tho principles of constitutional
liberty seemed So universally un lcrstood. nnd
SO dear to the whole people. The long
/ contest between the Crown and the two
/ Houses. since the days OF Edward L.
had firmly established tho grea. gunran-
I toes 81 national lihcrty-ihc right of fror-
dom from arbitrary taxation. from arbitrary
/ legislation. from arbitrary Imprisonment. an
the responsi bil.ty of even the highest servants
Of the Grown. and " the Crown itself to Par.
Lament and 90 the law. But with thc
close Of the struggle for the success
sion. these hulwurks of liberty disappear.
ell. We "ntnr on an epoch Of constitutional re-
trogress ion. IN which the slow work of genera