The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-18
books AND
uIHoRs.

THE STORY OF FRANCE. Volume II
BY Thomas z. Watson. From the end
of the reign OF Louis the Fifteenth to Z
the consulate OF Napoleon Bonaparte.
New York. The Macmillan Company.
Bound in cloth, 500. gilt top. uncut
edges. 1876 pages. price, $50.
The second volume Of The Story OF
France, begins with the reign OF Louis
XVI, aud goes down to the consulateS OF
NAPOLEON. It Is close and careful study
of that period tn the career of France
that will In all ages interest the historian
and philosopher, namely, the great
French Revolution rs
When Louis XVI assembled the throne
of France. Mr.. Watson thinks the condi
lions that confronted hin, were no more
dangerous than those that confronted hta
ancestors. He discards Mr.. Carlyie's
theory that France was powder-tower
where FIRE unquenched and unquencha-g
Bile, is smoking and smouidsrtItg all
around as the mere word painting OF
crosse poetry. There was says he, mo
fire in the powder-tower, else the sxpls-s
sion would not have been delayed for hf-ss
teen years" He says the condition Of /.
the peasantry was terrible. but he goes
on TO say CAtC IL was Oily Tue 10 liz
weak, vacillatinS policy OF the King Ond
mobiles that the disaster oyerwhelmed
him; the calling of the States-General.
when he was not going. to accept the con-
sIitusfonal monarchy they would propose,
being his last fatal mistake.
Mr.. Watson is always IN sympathy
with the people and writes from their
point or view. We have so long been
taught to look on the French Revolution
as the incarEatio. OF all that is horrible
that Mr.. Watson's point of view is, to
say the least, original Narat. Dantsn
and RobesDierre nave so long been held
up to the world as monsters of vice,
cruelty and blood. and Charlotte Corday
as the personification of seif-sacri!ieiHs
patriotism. that to hear them praised as
ideal, upright and !ncorrupti5le patriots.
and to hear her act called IA useless
crime fail as strange sounds upon one
ears. Yet he makes n powerful presen-
tation of HIS point of view, and as MS
clear style makes the men of the Rev.
olution pass in review before us, we cam
not fail to admire their great strength.
Danton he pictures the strong hand
that guided France through her most
perilous hours, and after him Robes
pierre ably took up the work. losing ut
last his life because he refused to save
it as the expense of the destruction of the
Republic After the death OF these three
the Government fell into the hands of
mercenary spirits. who sought nos the
good of the people. but their own as
grandizement. until at last the monarchi-
cal spirit triumphs. as Napoleon Who
had wooed and won the revolution and
then betrayed it, drives the assembled
deputies from their chamber with the
bayonets of his soldiers.
Mr.. Watson's style is delightful, and
his knowledge of the revolutionary Pc
Rod shows that he has given 1t close
study
A MAKER OF NATIONS. by Guy
Boothby, author of .Dr- Nfkolas' tE'x-
PERTINENT .'Pharos. the Egyptian,
etc. New York d. Appleton & Com
pany. Paper. Price. 30 cents.
''A Maker of Nations" fully sustains
MI. Boothby.s reputation as writer,
who never allows the interest OF the
reader to flag. The story is of South
American revolution, and tho maker
of nations" is a professional promoter OF
revolutions. The story is quick In action
and abounds in dramatic situations. 1t
is. however, tale of love, as we'll as OF
war. and shows how love. apparently
hopeless. overruled all previous habits
and ambitions of one mans life.
This story is a recent Issue of Apple
toms Town and Country Library series.