The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-09

u
thorno met johnny Lind. and. on the whole.
was not much interested in her" Tom Taylor
no met on tho same evening. and liked him
very well. but adds. no is n gentleman of very
questionable uspect-un- English. tall. slender.
colorless. with great beard of soft
black. and. mcthinks. green goggles over
his eyes Tho great difference between Car
lyle and Hawthorne in tho matter of these
comments is that Carlyle wrote his with the
expectation that they would be- published.
who Hawthorn intended his for fam ily peru
sal only.
That SIR. Julian Hawthorne has made two
volumes OF intense interest and done his work
well will deny: tine only question ia
whether it should have been dono at all.
Rnnke'. Universal History.
1t would be matter for regret TO all friends
OF education IL the English version of tho
Universal History by LEoroLD voH RANEE-of
which an initial volume is published by way Of
experiment 10y tho Hnrpcrs-should fail to re-
coive n hearty welcome. Since tho attempt OF
Rollin to Offer a conspsctus OF tho historical
knowledge attainable in his time. no man of
parts requirements. and reputation AIT all
comparable lanke's has undertaken u
like function; and tho result has been
that Rollins work utterly unsuited it
is to reflect tho conclusions of mod
ern historical Investigation aud criticism
still retains inanyreaderS. SO inds pe II sable is
it felt to be that the history OF mans advance
in cviii2ation-or at enst of all those sections
Of mankind which have evinced intcrdcren-
donce and in teraction-Sh o uld be pres snted in
view at once succinct and coinprehcns
TO China and India. indced-so far as tho
authors plan may DO inferred from tho volume
here translated it has not entered into
Rankes purpose to refer and we must admit
that at tho stage thus far reached b. archwo-
logical and s!nological inquiry the influence OF
China certainly and Of India probably upon
the civilization Of Europe and of western Asia
has been inIinilesima
Tho task. then. 70 which tho veteran histo-
rian has addressed himself IN the worl; Of
l,,l,n lr-t
from its origin in tho twilight of Egyptian and
Chalduan monuments tie civilization OF which
ourselves inhcrit ors-dellnna and adj
measuring the contributions flowing from
multitude of sources. tho dynamic and the
obstructive agencies. the cpochs of huctuaUon.
arrested growth. and decadcnce. and the
periods of vigorous revival and rapid on
ward march. What will render this cndeavor
to depict the process OF social evolution special
" acceptable to American schools and colleges
Is the authors recognition OF spiritual causes
and affirmnnce of n provide initial govern mont Of
the world. He goes we'll nigh as far as Dean
Stanley in conccding authenticity to the
Scriptural record and allots a large
place in this volume to the history of
mediation concurrence of what he terms
human causes. and makes it his business to
adjust all the thoroughly certified results OF
archaeological research and historical criti-
cism to his conviction of an overrulinG pur-
pose. Nowhere else. except perhaps in the
writings OF Kuenen and the theologians of the
recent Dutch school. insight keen and
learning so ripe and various united with such
sincere reverence and unshaken faith.
Tho fusion OF remarkable scientific attain
ments-for erudtion in presence OF it's modern
apparatus will DO accepted branch OF
science--with a deeply religious spirit is
phenomenon 40 rare among modern German
scholars OF the first rank that the reader.
before Introducing the ~ Universal History" into
our educational establish ments. will naturally
like to some proof of the uncom ION com
hination in the authors own words. The key
note OF the book is struck j n the first paragraph.
The ideal" says ltanke. to which humanity
Inspires is always divine ideal. and the
efforts OF mankind. however strong may DO the
alien influence of physical conditions. I'M
ceasngly directed toward this goal.'' a little
later in the first Chapter tho bearing of this
fundamental conception on the authors view
OF human history Is more distinctly formu-
lated: The most conSpicuou service which
natural science has rendered is that it II ns grad
ua!iy dissipated the mists which the forms of ma
tnrs worship at one time pread over he world.
This result. however. 1T could never have
achieved aided 1t is therefore Il apt tai error
to suppose An opposition between natural sci
ence and religion. Without a pure religion
responding to the moods of tho human spirit.
and really accepted and believed. the scientific
knowledge of nature and of man would not
have been possible at all" Significant. too is
his rejection OF the notion that the account OF
the creation in Genesis is a faint distorted
echo OF earlier ChadUan or Momphian cosmog-
onies. He Dronounces tho Scriptural descrip-
ton an express counter statement. opposed
to the cosmoEonicl conce ptions Of Egypt and Of
Babylon" Again. in q final CONNER ut on the re-
gious, social. and political system organized by
Moses. We read: Thus. under the i'm IN @ ato
protection of God. Individual lifo njoys those
rights and i'm munities which are the founda-
ton OF all civil order. That which modern
States call their Constitution is but the de-
velopment OF this dea. this need of security for
life and property The Mosaic polity involves
an opposition to kngship and its claim to DO an
emanation from the Deity. Tho contrast with
Egypt is here most deeply marked. No moro
conduct in human society could have boon con-
ceived Egypt receives additional i'm portance
from the fact that her tyranny develo ped in the
rect contrast 10 her own No materials for q
| found in the unbroken continuity OF a national
this is laid in the revolt against nature wor-
ship; in other words. in monotheisnl. on this
principle is built civil society which is alien
| to every abuse OF power
We have quoted enough to indicate the pro-
! foundly religious spirit which peryades this
history The thoroughness. on the other hand
putcd niorences OF modern historical research
| OF the present volume. VIII ich brings down tho
OF the Persian empirs. II 1t shall seem to
| their abors In the valleys OF the Nile and
| the Euphratss. they may be reminded that
aunivsrsal history cannot AFFORD to build on