New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-10
THE MODERN HISTORIAN.
PROFESSOR sTUBBss HISTORICAL Lee
TIIRES

Oxford The Clarendon Press New-fork MAC
milan Co.
S.. pofcssor Stubbs carries modesty TO the length
of suggesting that he may have no better excuse
10 offer for collecting these lectures than the
fact that the love Of correcting ploof-sheets has
become leading passion with the author Fer
haIs q serio-comic apology Will do as well as an
other for case in which apology is called for.
The statutory lectures, which until lately the
Rcgius Professor of of Modern History bound
TO deliver at Oxford twice year, apart from the
regular course OF instruction. seem to have been
regarded by Professor Stubs an unreasonable
burden. and toward the product of the distaste-
full duty nc entertains q feeling compounded OF
affection and resentment, like that of man who
finds himself the father of very fine child
against his viii The public, however, viii give
his book higher consideration than he is quite
willing to avow for il himself. Professor Stubs
Is one of the best examples of the school of
investigators who are putting fresh face upon
English and all other European history, indie
satgable in research, richly equipped in llnowl-
ridge Of authorities and sources Of discovery. and
filed with the scientific spirit which pursucs truth
for its own sake and not for its testimony to pre-
conceived theories and opinions Within our
pwn time so many historical treasure houses have
been thrown open that nearly all the standard
histories accepted by the last generation are in
materials for the narrative been enormously en-
1arrod the popular conception Of the historians
Functions has been greatly modified. The party
method Of treatment, so brilliantly illustrated
by Hume and Macaulay, is no longer in fashion
even so late writer as Mr.. Froude is an ana
chronsm No quality is more highly valued now
in this branch of study than the judicial spirit.
1his is the spirit which DISTINGUISHES the true
scientific treatment Of history. Professor Stubs
Is full of it, and while he is decided in his cX-
prcssOns Of opinion. there are few authors TO
whom refer with more confidence for an
eXact and fun statement of facts As an eX-
ample of how well bishop Of the Church of Eng
land can rise above professional bias the reader
may examine the two lectures in this volume on
Henry VIII
Mr.. Freeman who succeeded Bishop Stubs in
the Regius professoiship. laid much stress in his
recently published lectures the methods Of
Historical Study" upon the Unity Of History"
ind the mischevous consequences Of the usual
arbitrary division of ancient and modern periods.
Professor Stubs is equally earnest in maintaining
the opposite view although in practice these two
Friendly and admiring rivals would not be found
FAR apart in recognizing the substantial continuity
of all historical studies The tendency OF Free
man and his school is TO push inquiry further
md further back TO the germs Of the modern de
Nelopment of nations and institutions, and they
hnff a@ryc With the paradox of Baron BunScn that
modem history begins with the call OF Abraham
Professor Stubs. on the other hand declares that
The misleading idea in the term the Unity of
History lis the acceptance as q practical rule
or maxim that there new points of de
partuie in human history that modern life is q
continuation of media al Of ancient and media
val history. by continuity and unity that is at
all points equally important of the same con
70. flo 11,,ifS nfcO tbp
of the great plan of cosmical action in the divine
mind; but why he asks "shoud not cycles of
history be allowed TO exist within which all the
really important factors have their origin and de
Nelopment, and, it may be, work out their full
Hestiny-successve great dramas of ages. the IN
ierest of which is sefcontaned although There
Is enough Of common ground between them and
these which preccdc and follow to give them a
simple continuity ??
In his two lectures "On the Characteristic
Differences Between Medieval and Modern His
tory Professor Stbbs makes some striking re
marks Medieval history, he declares, is his
Tory of rights and wTongs; modern history, from
The close of the Middle Ages "a d. 1900 TO the
French Rev oiution history OF forces ana dNnaS'
Yies and in its second division. from the French
Revolution to our own time history of ideas
1t nav surprise TO be told that the IDEA OF rlght
pr rights was the leading idea of the Middle Ages
when every thing was done WIFI tIc StiOH7 manu-
but the author ilstifes his position by pointing
nut how careful were the rulers and heats OF
princcly houses in that period to fortify them
selves in all their enterprises by legal pleas and
how truly the five centuries from the Emperor
Henry III TO the Emperor Macmillan were
aces OF legal growth. ages In which the ldea Oh
right AS embodied in law was the leading idea
of statesmen and the idea Of right Justified or
fistifiable by the letter of law was profound
influence with politicians Even medieval wars
are. as rule, wars OF right, never of absolutely
nnjustifable aggression, not wars OF idea OF OF
liberation or Of glory. of nationality, or OF
propagandism In the three centuries OF modern
history from 1900 to 1900 the foremost ldea was
tbe balance of power and the forcible maintenance
nj this balance is the key to the whole plot OF
Furouean PROGRESS Even the Reformation period
is no exception To this general statement the In
Huencc of ideas and the principle OF rights were
both strong at that period. within circles OF thcn
OWN but they the occasion rather IMAM the
essential ingredients OF the struggle which arose
nut Of the change OF religion the most effective
forces were the materials In the last hundred
wears while the principles of right and Of force
have by no means been eAtnguished politlcal
ideas have acquired a predomnance never held
nv thcm before but as most Of our readers VIII
ne ready TO acauiesce in this part OF our authors
statement we need not follow his development
of it,
The lectures embrace pretty wide range OF
iopics Besides those Of general nature 10
which our notice has been mainly directed there
bre several Of a special character which may DE
taken as very careful monographs Such are the
study of Learning and Literature at the court
ne Henry IL. the sketch OF "The MEDIEVAL
Kingdoms Of Cyprus and Armenia and the re-
views of the reigns of Henry VIII and Henry
Nu-all of them conspicuous illustrations OF the
scholarship and thoroughncss for when Professor
EtIbbs has earned an exceptional reputation
NEW BOOK ON JAPAN.