New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-10-06
LOTHROP. LEE s SHEPARD CO.. Boston

the familiar volumes Of DR.. Stubbss "Constitu-
tional History Of the Rolls Series, the
characteristic OF Bishop Stubbs's work which
makes 1t Of especial value to the student OF the
present generation is the remarkable clearness
with which he the essential meaning Of his
material and its bearing on the problem under
discussion While he generally neglected wide
range Of material Of great value to the historian
of tnstitutions-the charters and legal docu-
ments-and did not always formulate clearly IN
his mind the exact problem TO be solved. yet the
keenness with which he detected in imperfect
material the real solution Is often marvellous.
Again and again the later student finds but
little more to do than to prove more fully and
from wider range Of material the intuitive con-
illusions OF his master"
The lectures cover a considerable period OF
time and range OF subjects. from the Anglo
Saxon constitution, Of which some hints are
given by Caesar and Tacitus. to English foreign
policy in the fifteenth century The earlier part
of the volume covers period TO the knowledge
Of which great additions have been made since
the writing of these lectures by Professors
vinogradoff, Pollock, Maitland and LAebermann,
DR.. McKeohnie and Mr.. Horace Round DR..
Stubs covers the whole field which has since
been divided up among these more specialist
historfans-sociaI development, land systems,
legislation and charters. the administration Of
Justice, and the growth Of the representative
principle; and it can hardly be expected that the
fitness and accuracy Of these later writer's can
be found in the pages OF a volume which Is
merely a collection Of lectures delivered to stu
dents The keen insight and the true historical
sense, however, are there; and, moreover the
lectures are interesting to many who do not
desire the results Of the fuller researches or
specfalsts They are printed Just as they were
written. with the student audience in mind, and
contain many Tightening touches of hurnor which
serve 10 redeem them from any charge OF dry
ness DR. Stubs was penetrated with convio-
ton Of the Importance Of history TO national
life and the whole series Of lectures breathes
the earnestness with which he approached his
subject THE recorded history Of a nation.
he told his hearers IN the opening lecture. is
the memory Of thu nation; woe 10 the country
and people that forget It; the strong man and
the strong nation feel the pulsation Of the past
In the life OF the present; their memory is vital.
long and strong Neglect OF historical study and
knowledge is TO a nation what the loss Of mem
orv Is to a mana sign Of old age and decrepi-
tude or the effect OF terrible disease; II Is
in the nation a sign Of lost independence IN
manners and ways OF thought-a moral decrepi-
tude waxed old and ready to vanish away; or
perhaps the result OF some terrible CONFUSION"
II is only with such a conviction OF the deep
moral value to the nation OF it's history and
records that history can be written truly and
it is because Bishop Stubs possessed this con-
viction that his work is so enduring