20 MARCH 1909, Page 27

The Age of the Enlightened Despot, 16604789, by A. H.

Johnson (Methuen and Co., 2s. 6d.), belongs to the series of "Six Ages of European History," appearing under Mr. Johnson's goners' editorship. The author divides the period into two parts. In the first (1(360-1715) the "enlightened despots" are represented by Louis XIV., Leopold of Austria, the Orange Princes, and Charles XII. of Sweden. Of course each of these rulers fell short in one respect of the ideal, but they represent personal government as a genuine power. In the second we have Joseph II. and Frederick the Great. The reign of Peter the Great, te whom the epithet "enlightened" applies but dubiously, falls chiefly into the first period. On the whole, the second part of the" Age' shows the characteristic principle in decay. That it belonged to the time cannot be denied, though England, always in advance, had got through the stage of personal government before it began. William III. found it a method of rule which, to say the least, bad to be modified considerably before it could he utilised. Mr. Johnson's book is a considerable contribution to historical study, valuable in itself, and suggestive of developments which the reader may follow out for himself.— The Remaking of Modern Europe, 1789-1878, by J. A. R. Marriott, is another volume in the same series. To include the story of ninety years in less than thrice the number of pages is a task which will try the skill of the most expert writer. Mr. Marriott performs it very well. Hie work stands the simple test of being interesting. He hopes in his preface that it will be found "suggestive and stimulating"; he does not wish it to be " satia- Lying." Perhaps if lie had devoted a page to a bibliography— huge bibliographies are a mockery for the " Higher Forms of Schools "—he might have shown his readers the way to this ;same "satisfaction." We have found very little to object to in his judgments on men and events. Possibly he is somewhat herd on Robespierre, whose theistic belief was genuine, though the mauifestatioa of it seems grotesque, or worse. We see a quota- tion from a French manifesto of 1792 which should dispose a the contention that we meddled needlessly with the domestio affairs of a neighbour. "The French nation will treat as enemies the people who, refusing or renouncing liberty and equality, are desirous of preserving their princes or privileged castes."