The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-17
sOwE NEW hooks.
,idvln smith. History Of England.

Goodwin smiths History OF England.
Among tho many readers Of Mr.. Goldwi
Smiths United States" not a few must hnv
wished that he would discharge a similar functiO
for his native land, and present n clear, connects
and succinct survey Of English history from
political point Of view. The task was, by com
parison. colossal, because, not hundred. bu
a thousand, years had N be embraced in the con
spectuS Nevertheless, II has been undertaken
and admirably performed. In two volumes col
iccuvely comprising some eleven hundred pages
which are enutod The United KINGDOM, a
Political TIytorp, by GoLDwtS SMITH Niacmil
lans). This Is q book which. from ono poirt OF
view may 10 classcd with the attempts Of Mon
tesduieu Con,c and Buckle 10 evolve philosophy
of history, while. at the same time. scholars who
have devoted many years 10 the investigation
Of particular epDchs will observe With surprise
and satisfaction the authors familiarity with
the outcome ~ the latest research In every section
Of his com prehensive field. Asrcgards the breadth
Of his canvas, We should say that Mr.. Goodwin
Smith begins with an accoun, Of the political
STATE u things among the English before the land
ing oi William the Norman. and that he brings
down his narrative to iSiO so far as tho United
Kingdom Is concerned, and almost 10 Our ow N day,
ns regard. the British colonies and dcpcn lenclcs
a. this book, We should keep In view the pivotal
or crucial stages In tho development Of England
political history and direct attention 10 those
chapters In which such topics are discussed
Those stages exhibit first tho political
npttudcs which the english possessed at the date
Of the Norman Conquest secondly, the struggle
between the civil ppwcr and ecclcSinsticism in
the reign Of Henry H.; thirdly, the definite begin
ming II representative institutions IN the reign
OF Edward l. tuurthly, tue stimulus given 10 such
Institutions through tho weak tito OF tho House
o, Lancaster. nfhiy. tho reaction towhtd nbso.
lutisn under tue rudprs and the lrst Stuarts:
sixthv tho war between King and Parliament
eliminating In the Commonwealth and tho Fro.
tectprats; scycnthly, tho Revolution Of 1888
eighthly the war between England and her
American colonies, lastly, the extension II tho
franchise a. considerable section Of the English
people by the first Reform net and the tardy con.
ceSson " the right Of self sovernmsn to the Cana
das and other colonies BY nnording at least
a glimpse NJ what the author has to say concern
ing most - these important subjects. We MAY hc
able tn convey an imperfect idea Of the merit Of
Lis work.
].
Let us b-gin with Mr. Goodwin Smiths descrip-
ton Of the English. or, Ms some would still say.
Anglo-Savon polity, ns It was under Edgar and
his SUCCESSORS when N had become complete
In State and Church. the Church b"ins, as yet
thoroughly national md with scarcely a trace
Of antaronism To IN, ciyh power. At the head Of
~" poity WAS the King who had ben raised
higher above tho heads 81 the people by each sue
cessiy- extension OF his domain, which. at frat
confined 90 WrsseN, had D~en gradually expanded
until Il comprised tho whole Of England and a
part Of the Lovlands OF Scotland Tho King
was at once ruler, law.giv-r general and Judge,
ell those functions bling, as vet EMBODIED In the
SANE germ lie was no d~spoL however. II
he governed regu''tc made high appointments
in Church and State, GRANTED the public land
gave chartered rights It was with the consent
o! the WiicnagemoL an assembly Of the mag
cyh and ecclesiastical which. with tho ex-
tension OF the King 'nm. had PRACTICAL
superseded the assemblies Of all the free.
m-n the distance hing too great for general
attendance, and representation b7irg then un
known kings PERSONAL ability would BE-
the real measure Of his power when he was
able, tbs wttAn would register hia will The
authority 0! the witNn w,s wider than ts that o.!
Parliament nominally. at tn. present day, since
II extended TO executive action. to appointments
TO foreign policy and war as we'll rs 10 legislation
The public land belonged 10 the nation. not 10
the King reader needs TO - conversani
with tho books In which Freeman. Pal-rave,
= u'nef anu o'n''S nave H'7HE"d 10 elucidato
'ho S'"'o vi 'h'hE' uhu'' 'h' carry hhg'sh kings
~ "pp''''''' va amount o' Nno"'e"SH c"hi'hs"d
Va 'h' PARAGRAPH !uHt quo''L OF he ohcumSpeo-
'iol a"n oHE''"n VIVA "h'oh 'h' assertions arc
,nnue INC ""'ho' Cos on 70 th us tha' tho
n''s "n' '''N"n % 'he VIVIAN nu' always OUT oil
VIZ "o,"'o mouse Oh |e'n'o' ana Sehraliy' by tho
'u'7 '" "'"' "'"oEe'u'u'r' MouSh inc "itah.
- 'i1 'N'"''r's u 'oush inns required coHid
'''7' w, 'ui' anu Noh'''n'S H'pnH'' as mo
-, W. Su''N>"' eeP'Neh rdWafa H.
:. nm" -, n"H '"sAH'y' 'h"ush moi IN iofm'
W, ~ ''u"N '"'''' iH' 'n'fe WAS an 'ai'y Ing
=, a'S' n'" " was 'o'n''u lS eVo'u'
"" - 's'N' US, N.Y. IA 'ne pr'h''t'e Hpou's
VI "' PAX" '"'''S 'H'h ch''i hAd gathered
.ou'u M" 'H.'o ." 'oio"ffs 10 "hom ne gave
=. SH' ''"' anu ''"'n's' WINE N'E shared with
IN, 49," a'' I''s anu '"'ls' hSh''hS around
-. ,nn " WV ""''' '''oM'hh themselves between
nun anu Wv u'EE'' ~ INC assassin scofn'ng
" '"'' Wv m''" "".' ""' NJ hha '&""h' hrsths
~ vi 'n','. ~ n's" "'''"Hiv thames Hence
WI" Wv '''i n"u me king gre" new
oi"'i VI "o"'''y' "o'u''y OF i"r'l favor and
stn,N "'''"P'''| 'n' "'d h"'"''' Of bi'ih'
n"1 oi''E Tue P''mnin'haht element III The coun'