The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-19

llseil Oh tne opportunity 10 read
Green Mansions; perhaps Mr.. Gals
worthy's eloquent plea and the Ameri-
can publishers enterprise may induce
a wide public to look at one of the
most fascinating tales ana finest en-
amples Of English writing that the
twentieth century has produced 40 far.
We shall watch their effort with in.
terest.
The northeastern region OF France
has more historical associations on its
soil than the whole Of Great Britain.
says Edward Courtenay Bodley in his
introduction to the English transla-
ton by Elsie Finnimore Buckley of
The Century Of the Renaissance in
France Putnains) by LOTS BArIr-
FOL. This book has been crowned
by the Academic des Sciences ct
Politiques n forms one volume in
a projected series dealing with the
history of France under the general
e~ditorship of Father Funck- Brentano.
who IL himself TO write the first vol
ume on the Middle Ages. The second
70 " ltVNNuVu Nv III III ltIle
of publication: and the volumes 10
follow are The Grca; Century" by
Jacques Boulenger; "Tiie Eighteenth
Century" by Casimir Stryienski:
The Revolution" by Louis Madeleine.
and The Consulate and the Empire"
also by Louis Madeleine. Mr.. Bodley
tells us hat professional historians
are often more inaccurate than ro-
nee like Dumas. Especially he
lamsn;s the limitations OF educated
Englishmen in the pleasant field Of
French history. although there u no
doubt about the keen interest which
the cultivated English classes take IN
French literature. A "a matter Of fact.
however. those students OF history
who are not familiar with the French
language have been faced by a real
dearth of good English works on the
subject OF French history. The ma
jority OF English books on the subject
are i'll written and unattractive. The
National History Of France then Is un-
d%ertaking 10 supply the want and 70
orer n scientific exposition Of France
when II frs: became a homogeneous
nation down 10 the twentieth century.
II undertakes to deal not only with
dry facts but with illustrations Of the
social conditions. the inteilec-
;ual achievement Of successive gen.
ct, .tions of the French people.
RI. r,,ro.,,. IN a.. nr...r, ,.o,,r.
h.ytns u.,,h ~. a.,th -, Iou;s W a,
ua..,.Ia IT,. it, - .,aa
starting point for the student Of the
modern history of France. InIis NJ
n,ina ,r,rod,,..,,. go ,,a IT,
1,". V.,,a ,,.ar oa,r,.a =, ~. n.",
=, 81, - a.,.Lo, ~, -. ,.i.h -.
.',,- - Ian,.,. $780,. ~
,,'"a, h,, .. 49,
80. ~ ~ .a $50
'a...r." ,.,,s,
~ ,an ~.
!, ,ri.. III ~. i,."auan ~ ~
$500 r w. s.
u.,' m w.
"'FS N''s Nv p."s.s y,
''."" '"". nv
] 49, r','
1""> P' W." '"''' ""'"
nt,S N" W, spn,r ''tMrtn .ne
'''''' vs. ""' 49," ,'''"''
!, Is y ptr'"'' "s Mr' ''ou'rF warns
'' '"n''"n''''', movements ana cur
'e"'>' an" W h'''"o.e "c'non Is 10
'''S''' v WIN " series :" WV" P'r-
''ai's '"h"n from contemporary rec
"'"H ana 'n" reSu' ~ an impressive
ana animated record he d"alS WIN
lh' 'nre OF ita'N 'hat tempted IN"
lf'hoh kings again again to Try
~ extend 'hcIr domain beyond the
MD IN" main result OF which vas I"
import into France the artistic spirit
al IN" ltalian renaissance Even II
IN" de'i ~ France to Italy is smaller
than ~ often estimated. tn" Italian
artists brought to France by Francois
l. had great influence over the native
genius,
In popular tradition says Mr.. Bod
ley. the King. Francois l.. was a mag
nlfcent voluptuary. the munificent
patron o' artists and Of poets. Yet
as n reads the fascinating story OF
his rcign II wonders how he found
the time TO hold a brilliant court and
to adorn France with snmptuolis
monuments of domestic architecture,
which. taking the place of tho fortified
fc,idal castles. seem to have been