New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-12


From a satirical print Of 1872
leagues laborious and informing re-
searches IN their proper relation 10 the
larger historical picture. But the general
English reading public for which this
translation is intended. and to which it
cannot be too heartily recommended.
owes Mr.. Mail a world Of thanks for his
general Introduction. stripped TO the bare
important bones on the causes and the
nature Of the French Revolution, FOR MS
chronological summaries OF the chlel
events Of the period covered. and tor MS
brief biographies Of the chief perSonages
that figured in them He thus furnishes
an ADEQUATE framework 10 those whose
memory OF the general history Of the up
heaval needs refreshing, and enables
them to III into their refurhished kno"l-
edge a good general understanding or MS
authors work and its bearings, without
the abs tie necessity of perhaps incon-
venient collateral reading for lack OF
1iu,e or inclination Verify. the road 10
knowledge through an exceptionally IN
teresting work is certainly made profit
ably easy for the general reader by Mr.
Mall.
In undertaking this work. TO which he
devoted twenty years Of constant re-
search. ID was NJ. Auiard's purpose 10
write the political history of the French
Revolution from the point Of view oi the
oriein and the development Of democracy
-,.4 ,.,rTlica ri-p1.
7 ,uruose Il. show how the principles II
tie D-claratlCa OF K.gnts were, be" cen
u.s. and lSE put INTO operation 10y ING IN
situations OF the tine. or inte'Wetto ~
sI,,ches oy the press. ~ t"e i9' -, ,S Ua
the various political parties. and by 'hs
manifested. rs Of public opinion Two VI
these principles the puuGplc OI me t9uFI,
itv OF rights and the principle OF nauohdi
I'm the elaboration Of the new state pon.Ii.
Ther aic. hist really, the esSe'i aI p. ~
ci.les = the Pevo'uton. 'ar9us.N con.
Ceived differently applied. according % tUe
reriod TIL. .Iies OBJECT % this hook Is
fhe narration o. the vicie STUDIES which thesc
two principles underwent
Military. financial and diplomatic his
tory the author leaves aside. except for
the brletes, Of essential eXpla nations
Hence his reference to presupposed COL
lateral reading. and his translator's aux
Hilary apparatus.
The history OF democracy and the re-
public is dealt with under the four head
ings into which it naturally divides it.
self. l. From 1899 TO 1892. which is the
period Of origins, Of the formation Of
the democratic and republican parties
under a constitutional monarchy with
property owners suffrage II. From 1892
TO 1895, the period OF the democratic re-
rublic III. From 1895 to 1893, the period
OF the bourgeois republic: ~, From
1893 TO 1909. the period OF the plebisci-
tary republic. the consulate. which VAS
the period OF the slow. gradual disap-
pearancc Of the political principles Of the
revolution. NJ. Aulard is notably sue
cessful IN disentangling the political de-
velopmeut Of the republic from the chaos
jr which II took place:
The Revolution. while az work upon do
Ynestic organization. had 10 sustain per
the whole OF Europe q hazardous war
fun Of sudden and Unforeseen Vicissl-
tudes and simultaneously, 10 cope WIN
intermittent civil war as well. Ihese con-
djtions Impressed on the development ma
az plicaton of the principles OF l7S9
quality Oh feverish haste, Of uakesmit, COL
from 1892 onward. The c:;@mpts to con-
etitute the ce--.t<=.ic rsra,>;ic were made
IN m ~, "a - og,s,a,e r9 Mfm IHo for
the future. for times OF peace. and en-
piricaly for the present for war These
TWO motives became confused IN the
minds ~ men ara IN reality In the vari-
Gus reconstructiOns Of the political edihee
there vas neither unity o. plan. nor con-
tinuity> Sr-method. nor logical sequence.
From this confusion the author has
succeeded I'm extracting chronological
sequence successive general stages and
q general trend Of events. II Is In this
that his work is OF chief importance. 1t
clears the larger vision
II is curious 20 realize through these
pages how slow and tardy was the birth
I'm France OF the idea OF a republic. as
distinct from republican ideas In 1889.
asserts the author there was not only
no republican party In France. no con-
certed plan 10 abolish the monarchy.
but it is not even possible TO find In all
the mass Of records he has consulted evil
dence OF the existence OF more than n
single individual who publicly advocated
the change. NJ. Aulard reviews the spec
ulatlons Of the eighteenth century phi
losophers and encyclopedias, and finds
that "Frenchmen were accustomed to re-
gard the republican form Of government
which they did not desire 70 see IN
Francois a theoretically noble and in
teresting form" Rousseau held that II
was adapted only 10 small countries. Vol
taire having weighed both systems. con-
ouded sagely that government was
"verv difficult business" The philoso-
phers weakened the monarchical princi-
nile. however. even though they did not
advocate the republican one The men
~ 1889 desired constitutional mon
archy; Louis XVIs opportunities 10
..A.. hAa thrnne were many and great,