The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-07
soHE VIEW BooKs.
E.sis.s II tss Feurtes-th $50 FINee-th
G-entwrfee.

known that the principle on which this re-
insrksble work was undertaken is that Of dele.
eating particular topics 10 men who have made
special study Of them. One Inevitable result
~ the method is that certs IN subjects are treat
ed more exhnustively than others, and also that,
inasmuch a. the themes sometimes overlap,
different deductions are drawn by different
writer's from the same data, and even. now and
then, from the text OF the same statute.
such inequalities and Inconsistencies seem
inseparable from tho collaborstive process,
but they are undoubtedly outweigiied by the ad-
vsntages. II IL no longer possible for the mani
fold lines Of inquiry embraced within the field
surveyed in the book before us to he exhaus-
lively followed by one man. In this volume Of
nearly six hundred large octave pages WV select
for particular attention the view taken by the
contributors Of the state Of agricultural labor In
the fifteenth century. which some authors have
termed Englands golden age; the DEVELOPMENT
Of the universities during the Plantagenet cra
the growth Of common English tongue; anil
finally, the share which England took in explor-
alton before the epoch OF the Cabots.
What was the condition Of the agricultural
laborer in England during the century and
quarter which interviewed during the suppress
sion Of Wat Tyler's rebellion and the acces-
son OF Henry WHIP A great deal OF research
has been expended In collecting the notices OF
.or,cuI,uro IN The chronicles and records Of the
period. But there are still several schools Of in
depreciation, and historians still hold most con-
Trajectory opinions a. TO the general character
Of the time. On the one hand we are Invited by
Thorold Rogers. in his monumental work, six
CentureS of Work and Wages to believe that
IN, fifteenth century and the first quarter of the
sixteenth form the Golden age OF the English
laborer " and that "No Europeen community
b.. ever enioved such rough plenty as did
the English women during these years." while,
IN the other hand. there are writer's like Den
ton for ex,mple. who regard the same period as
one Of unmitigated disaster and who confidently
,sspre ma that there were few years Mt this time
unmarried by famine and pc.tilence." Others
again. Xix. Protbcro though they admit that n
good deal OF distress and discomfort existed at
tho end NJ the period stiIl claim the earlier
wear, "A prosperous. and think that. OF all
.poobs tho first half of the fifteenth century
n,o.t nearly realized the peasant's dream of
Arcadia Lastly vet n fourth school. that of
CUNNINGHAM has arisen. which holds that ara
hi. farming almost continuou,ly decayed
hrt tia, n growtb In the clotbing trade
and The conseouent Introduction into rural
di.tr;c,. NJ domestic manufactures more or les,
counterbalanced the loss 40 suffered Mr. w. J.
,,orh.tt who contribute. the discussion of this
subiect To the present work does not hesitate to
nronounce both Of tho more extreme views ex.
.oo.,a,ed Had tho lot M tho laborer be saw.
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period been one Of famine. and pestilence.
A. 4, hard To see why the anne results did
not follow a, in the fourteenth century. and
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