New-York tribune., 1907-08-24

most clearly her habit of turning facts in her
direction somewhat too easily
The spirit in which she interprets may be
seen in the following instance quoting from
the recommendations of the Port Royal school
masters concerning the best way to bring up
young boys Miss Romanes seizes upon a con-
struction of these words perfectly suiting her
own Anglican views of what Port Royal snouio
have believed. NJ De Saci. a teacher IN the
Port Royal school for boys, was never t1red OF
advising delay in warnings and reproofs' for'
he said. "by omtting mention OF some Iaults'
one could cure others; one could easily set any
small disorders right in few words for doo
always made one know when it was time TO
speak to them; one could only get to Know tile
little ones by adapting ones self to them and by
suting ones self to their minds" very sane
view for a seventeenth century pedagogue 10
have taken we believe: but by no means an
ohvtous proof as the historian makes 1T, or the
absence of all fatalism in Port Royal philosophy!
The good old teacher probably spoke only from
a wealth Of everyday experience when he ut
tered the above sound doctrine of the school-
room: he probably was as remote from al
theological thoughts and theories as a person
living in theological atmosphere could wen DE-
We criticise Miss Romanes on this uninteresting
point not because she has erred grievously-1or
she has nOt-but because her treatment OIL lh0
matter typifes a danger besetting every MIS-
torian and overwhelming many. 1t is the dan
ger of irving to discover too much in too little;
and more particularly. of trying to learn men $
theoretical opinions from their everyday acts
and utterances.
Aside from uncertain side steps into questions
of pure theology and metaphysics. Miss Romanes
has succeeded fairly well in showing the forces
leading to the downfall of Frances greatest
abbey Port Royal is shown to have stood Tor
liberalism and against INSTRUMENTATION. 1t was
Catholic as opposed to Roman. In its school
rontbods its manners of life, its scientific ana
speculative spirit and-perhaps most unfortu-
nately for itself-in its friends, Port Royal rep
resented the best modern French spirit. It's
fate was fo have arisen too early in the nation S
history: or seen from another standpoint, IT'S
destiny was to hasten the day OF liberalism
through it's own sufferings Judged as narra-
five the present account must be found want
ina, in MANY features. Lacking unity on ac-
Count of too frequent dgressions. many of
which are gratuitous defences of the historian S
own scheme of theology; filled more or less in
evitablv with minor details about the inner
workings of the abbey and the personalities OF
its members and. most unhappily OF all, piously
neppered with moralizng comments on recorded
events the book is a STORY of Port Royal only
NV courtesy of language. And yet Miss Romanes
has distinctly the power Of expression and mar
ration There are bright passages and excellent
turns of thought here and there. More is the
pitv then that the pens of the apologist and
the admirer have so frequently written the
paces already traced by the historians quill
leaving the final impression Of palimpsest