The sun., 1905-08-20
SOME NEW BOOKS.
herbert Paul's History Of Modern EnEIs


herbert Paul's History Of Modern England.
Tho third volume OF the History Of Mod
lem England, by HERBERT PAUL (Macmil-
lsns), carries us from the death Of Lord
Palmerston and the accession OF the Rus-
sell- Gladstone Ministry In 1885 to the pas
sage Of the Royal Titles bill by the Con-
servative Government in 1870. The eleven
years witnessed the Austro-Russian war,
the passage OF the Second Reform act,
the disestablishment of the Anglican
Church in ireland, the passage OF the Edu-
cation act, the settlement OF the Alabama
claims the Franco-German War, the eli
max OF liberalism and that education OF the
1 conservative party which gave 1t the
mastery of tho United Kingdom for the six
3 years beginning in 1874. In these 400 pages
r the author has adhered closely to the plan
which he announced in the introduction OF
his first volume. Believing that the es-
-sence OF history is narrative, not disquisi-
< Stion, and that narrative must be contin-
'Suous, he has adopted the principle laid
Sdown by Lord Peterborough that "chrono-
logical order is the best, and has divided
his book into periods, not into subjects
: While he holds, however. that the best clue
10 Interpretation which a historian can
Z furnish is the simple sequence OF events
she does not say that one should let them
( speak for themselves. The historian, he
thinks, must be i'll prepared for the per-
formance of his task if his studies have not
I suggested to him some differences from the
past which may be used as guides for the
future. 1t is true that IL he be the mere
advocate OF a party he will get no hearing
! sfrom the other side; nevertheless he must
/ have his opinions, like other people, and
IN our authors judgment 1t is not his DUTY
leven II 1t be in his power, to conceal them.
! Perfect impartiality. Of course, implies
tornniscience and is not human, but divine.
ssTo extenuate nothing, to set down naught
I'm malice, to consider always the actions
of men from their own point OF view before
passing judgment upon them and not to
expect from fallible mortals foreknowl-
\ edge OF things" is pronounced the elemen-
tary obligation of the historian. This duty
Mr.. Paul has striven to fulfill and few OF
his readers are likely to deny that the ef-
. Hort has been as successful in the volume
before us as in it's two predecessors
In chapter on the short lived Russell
; Gladstone Ministry" Mr.. Paul recalls that
,, before it met the House of Commons in
February. 1865, it had to contend with
serious difficulties, both within and without
the limits OF the United Kingdom. Lord
Palmerston had only just been buried
when despatch arrived at the Colonial
. Office from Jamaica. in which Mr.. Eyre,
the Governor, described "a most serious
1and alarming insurrection OF the negro
|, population" As a matter OF fact there
had been no general insurrection in the
island, though there was one dangerous
local outbreaks, which, however, was quelled
In four days. Nevertheless, nearly $50
persons were shot and hanged by m""!ai
law, 600 were hogged AMI l,)Jl houses
were burned in rebellion, as 10 which
Governor Eyre admitted that mo stand
had ever been made against the troops,
and mot a single casualty had befallen any
soldier or sailor" The Government would
obviously be wanting in regard for the
rights of her Majesty's colored subjects,
to say nothing of public opinion at home,
II they had allowed such a category Of hor-
rors to pass unnoticed. The authority OF
Gov. Eyre was forthwith superseded, a
royal commission was sent to make in
QulI10S OH tU6 spOt anu ds HOOl Gil
ment met bill was passed to suspend the
Constitution of Jamaica and make the
island a crown colony for three years.
The course pursued by the Russel-Glad-
stone Ministry was completely vindicated
.by the report of the commissioners. The
publication Of it-though the adherence
and disgust which 1t excited did not for a
long time subside and led to violent dis
putes in which Carlyle perversely defended
Gov. Eyre-conduced ultimately to the
peace of the British Empire, because it
showed that the arm Of the central govern
ment was long enough to guard the Queen 3
most distant possessions against injustice
pand wrong. We shall recur to this matter
under date Of Gov. Eyre's return to
England.