The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-19
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

WE are frequently startled by discovery in
| w the sayings of ancient peoples, an antici-
patton of ideas which seem highly modern. There
is less reason for surprise when we reflect that,
| in the new historical perspective, modern his
| tory reaches back for some three or four thou
sand years.
Professor Breasted is not only our most dis
| tinguished orientalist, but has given especial
attention to the essential modernity of ancient
oriental civilization. He has now written an
extended book on the intellectual history Of
! ancient Egypt. ('The Dawn of Conscience" BY
James Henry Breasted. Charles Scribner's Sons.
So Here he shows that there was a definite
conception of the necessity of "a new deal" more
| than 1000 B. G.
DR.. Breasted makes it perfectly clear that
| well-developed doctrines of social justice, the
golden rule and the messianic hope were present
| in Egypt approximately 1900 years before they
appeared in the biblical history of the Hebrews
| The middle ages are often ignored by social
| refOrnerS on the ground that they possess little
| of practical value for the present age. Such
notion is, however, ill-conceived. The history of
medieval Europe contains the record of the
general emancipation of mankind from slavery
and serfdom and from the dominion of agri-
cultural feudalism, comparable in power and
ruthleSSnesS to our contemporary industrial
| feudaliSm. Medieval economic doctrines more
over, embody those conceptions of social control
| over private profit which we shall need to review
| in our own day.
THERE have been number of excellent re-
l. cent surveys of medieval Europe but none
more readable or satisfactory for the layman
interested in the period than Professor Browns
clear and lucid volume medieval Europe" By
Sydney MacGillvary Broun, Harcourt, Brace &
Company, So. 1t gives ample attention to those
social and economic aspects of medieval history
which are of relevance for our day.
History conventionally deals with the deeds
Of men, but men have also been frequently pro-
foundry influenced by the ideals expressed by
historians. Particularly has this been true of
the stimulus Of history to patriotism Professor
Peardon has made a distinctive contribution to
the history of historical ideals and historical
writing, ("The Transition in English Historical
Writing, 1760-1830" by Thomas Preston, Co.
lunlbia University Press $450). Tracing Eng
gliSh historical literature from 1850 to 1880. he
indicates how the railroads.&c. and cosmopolitan
conceptions OF Gib5On and Hume were gradually
Subordinated to considerations arising from
pletiSn, rOnanticiSmS and rationaliSm.
The most eminent philosopher Of history in
modern Italy is Benedetto Croce. He is an en-
thuSiaStic exponent of modernized Hegrllansm.
His latest volume, devoted to survey of Europe
Sinsce Napoleon, is not merely a conventional
chronicle OF events or a brilliant narrative of
contemporary history ("HiStory of Europe in the
Nineteenth Century" by Benedetto Croce, Har-
court, Bruce and Company, $3.50. 1t is, rather,
the exploitation of selected tendencies i'll Euro
pean history, in the effort to illustrate Croce's
view Of the evolution of ideals It is a very
stimulating book it tells us quite as much about
Croce'S mental makeup as it does about the
events Of the last century
ERENCH royaliSm may not threaten the re-
public, but it still exists as dramatic and
colorful rritant in the French body polite Miss
MurOt gives us a clear and readable summary
Of the manifestations and mutations of French
royalist ideas since the end Of the revolutionary
and NapOleonic periods ("French RoyaliSt Doc
trineS Since the Revolution" BY Charlotte
Tousalin Murot. Columbia University Press, So
1t is meritorious contribution to political and
social theory
Edward VII represented pretty well the sum-
nation OF the old regime in English diplomacy
The well-known French author and pubncist
Andre MauroiS, has written a brilliant interpre-
tation Of England in the first decade in the
twentieth century C'The Edwardian Era" BY
Andre Maurois. D. Appleton-Century Company
Inc. So 1t is reasonably reliable history, and
contains many remarkably keen analyses of
dominant personalities. The Interpretation of
foreign relations is as might be expected some
what anti-German.
In the development of the so-called New
History" Columbia university has taken lead
ing place. The excellent descriptive bibliog- |
raphy OF books published by the Columbia uni |
versity press will constitute practical and i'm
portant aid to students Of the history of civiiza-
ton columbia Books. 1893 1888, a Dictionary
catalog Of Columbia University Press publica- |
tons compiled by Edward a. Noyes and Henry
NJ. Silver IL Columbia University Press. sly !