The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-06-28
LINGARDs HIsTORYTHE SPELL OF ROME

LIN CARDS HISTORY
NEW EDITION BROUGHT DOWN TO
DATE BY HILAIRE RELLoc-A
STANDARD WORK ON ENGLISH
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND I'M
PARTIAL-sKETcH OF THE AU-
THOR.
1t is source of qualification to
students of history to know that DR..
Lingard's History of England is to
be brought down to date with an addi-
tional volume from the pen of Hilaire
Belloc. This supplementary volume,
dealing with the history of England
from the accession of William and
Mary (1689) to the accession of King
George Fifth, will form the eleventh
of a new edition, ten of which have
already been issued by the Catholic
Publication Society of America, New
York The publishers have succeeded
in producing very attractive work.
Each volume has distinctive fronts
piece and is artistically and substan-
TALLY bound. The set retails at $3.50
per volume.
DR.. Lingard's History of England
needs no introduction to scholars. No
words of commentator can enhance
it's value for the earnest and thought
full seeker after truth. 1t occupies a
unique place among standard works
on English history. Since it's first
appearance, in 1919, it has enjoyed a
reputation for accuracy and impartial
ity which makes it an authoritative
source of information on the history
of England for Catholics and non
Catholics alike. This is especially true
in regard to it's treatment of the period
beginning with the Reformation, a
period about which it is difficult to
write without partisan bias.
The Rev. John Lingard was born at
Winchester, England, in 1771, and
died at Horribly in 1851. He entered
the English College at Douai, France,
in 1882, and before as well as after
his ordination, he was professor in the
institution and resided there until the
events of the French Revolution forced
all to flee to England, where he
taught the Douai refugees in different
places near Durham. During this time
he found the true bent of his genius
in the study of history. In 1911 he
refused an appointment as President
of Maynooth College and retired to
Horribly, a country mission eight miles
from Lancaster, where he began the
preparation of his history, which was
intended at first as textbook for
schools. AS the work progressed he
amplified it and the first three vol
umes, published in 1919, met with sur.
prising success, not only among Cath
olics, but among scholars of every
nationality and belief. A growing en-
thusiasm greeted each successive vol
ume until the work was brought tC
it's conclusion in 1880. Meanwhile
three editions had appeared in Eng
land and it had been translated into
French, German and Italian. DR.. Lin
gard spent the last years of his life
revising his history, examining anC
comparing original authorities an(
tracing every statement to it's source
The fame which DIR. Lingard's "His
tory of England" has always enjoyed
as standard work is the natural con
sequence of its fidelity to truth TT
author set about his task with minC
{ unclouded by prejudice, with an eye
single to the facts, and with the solt
purpose of placing before his readers
record based on official document
, whose authority was undisputed. Il
, the preface to the last edition which
he revised in 1849, he lays down thu
rules which guided him in his self
imposed task, namely, to admit M
statement merely on trust, to weigl
with care the value of the authorities
f on which he relied, and to watch will
jealousy the secret workings of hi
. own personal feelings and prejud1ces
, Such vigilance is necessary to ever.
writer of history if he aspires to b.
) truthful and impartial. DR.. Lingart
made no pretentions to writing
philosophy of history. He believes
T that historian knows no more abou
the secret motives of the parsonage
about whom he writes than the author
, tiles disclose or facts suggest. He dit
not try to distort facts to fit precon
ceived theories.
= DR.. Lingard rendered service o
: incalculable value to religion and tn
} world such as only a scholar of hi
) temperament and training could hav'
! performed Despite the fact that he di'
7 not have access to official documents
! save under the most harassing restric
: tons, it is remarkable that he SHOULD
have stated so clearly the facts o
English history, and estimated so &C
} curately the value of the source t.
which he had access. Indeed, the clear
er light thrown upon the facts of Eng
: lish history by the fuller knowledg
which we have of official document
: only serve to emphasize the accurac
: of Lingard's History and to prove tn
truth of many statements made by hin
, which were not accontnd hV cOntem