The San Francisco call., 1897-07-04
JUSTIN MCCARTHY ON THE VICTORIAN
ERA.

a HISTORY CF OUR TIMEs-By Justin McCar-
my, Mp New York: Harper X Brothers. FOR
sac III this City by a. NJ. Robertson. Pos street
Prce 81 IS.
This volume OF McCarthy's history OF the
victorian era continues his former work from
1880, and brings the record down to the
preparations for the British Queens diamond
jubilee. Ii is not an exha history, but
selects the principal events and elucidates
them In so clear and interesting a manner
that even those who have kept themselves
very well informed as 10 English history for
the past seventeen years will no doubt ENJOY
the authors scholarly treatment OF the sub
jects, and get a more comprehensive idea OF
the more notable occurrences by reading these
condensed accounts of them.
The book contains a number Of good, clear
portraits of the most prominent men OF the
period. The sketches OF the great politicians
whom the author had ample opportunities ot
observing at close quarters are OF course ex-
ceedingly well done, and the whole book is
very readable. history, as Mccarthy writes
it, is worth reading even by those who read
for entertainment only and care nothing for
the requirement OF historic lore, for there is
not much fiction which holds the attention
with SO little effort on the readers part as
this volume does.
One of the first events thus briefly and WV
idly treated is the Bradlaugh episode. 1t is
an interesting study OF the atheist, who began
his career by exciting much detestat1on
and yet won so much admiration at its close.
With careful paruality the historian men
lions both his faults and his virtues. His
struggle to force himself into Parliament
when first elected and that Dody's long resist
ance of his claim are both censured as being
absurdly undignifed.
Perhaps the most interesting feature in this
last volume is the Irish question. Glsdstones S
effort 10 secure home rule for that diSeon-
tented people and the reasons of his fsilure
are made very plain. There is a wonderful
fairness in the way in which the story is told.
There were wise statesmen who favored 1t,
thinking they were dong all for the best, and
there were wise statesmen who opposed II
equally as conscientiouslY. The remarkable
power in leadership posse ssed by Parnen is
shown so vividly as to make all true friends oi
Ireland deeply regret his fall from power
There was a time when if The I'm perisl Govern!
ment had dealt with Parnell with a fit recog-
milton of the great influence he he Id (he really
represented Ireland) much might have been
accomplished toward the sail ia ction of the
island. An understanding with Parnell in the
days OF his early prestige would have saved
the United Kingdom from many q calamity
and prevented many crime. The historian
the question then or later that The success OF
the constitutional home rule movem ent would
have meant the gradual and final pacification
OF Ireland and the reconciliation of the Eng
hsh and the Irish peoples.
The picturesque briliance of Disraelps
career is related in way that makes us mar
vel anew at his wonderful achievements.
Some scraps of converse ton are given showing
that Disraei believed that all politicians did
their hard work in order to win fame, and
frankly confessed that he did. One night
Bright tried TO convince him that he, Bright,
at least did not come TO the House of Com
mons for fame but I'D sraeli smiled blandiy,
and almost pityingly, and declined discus
sion"
There is chapter called "Ohi Whittier hast
thou led me, Egypt?" which traces England's
entanglemeuts IN that country, and intimaGes
that there is very likely to be serious trouble
ahead for Britain on account OF this occupa-
tion OF the land of Pharoahs The historian
says that even yet England may be called upon
TO make sacrifices which are not worth max
ing, as the court lady says in Shakespeare
'For all the mud in Egypt"
In IN account of the Queens jubilee in 1887
ii is recorded that the Irish people treated the
matter with deliberate coldness. It is stated
that this would not have been the case had it
not been for the fact that Ireland had received
for many years little or no royal countenance.
The Queen during all her reign had spent
only few days in that island.
Other matters very Interestingly treated are
the Armenian massacres, the Venezuela
boundary dispute, the arbitration treaty and
the Transvaal trouble The idea of arbitra-
ton, Mr.. Mccarthy holds, was so strongly
supported by the intelligence of both nations
that such treaty cannot be long prevented.