London : Historic and Social. By Claude De La Roche
Francis. 2 vols. (H. T. Coates, Philadelphia.)—We cannot give praise too high to Mr. Francis for the pains which he has taken in putting together these two volumes. They are an instructive summary of the history of London. The author divides his work chronologically. There are ten periods, beginning with "Roman" and ending with "Victorian London." It is evident that he has carefully studied the available authorities on each, and the result is a comprehensive view of the whole which it would not be easy to match elsewhere. What we seem to miss is the personal acquaintance with the actual place which alone is capable of making us realise what it was and what it is. We do not doubt that Mr. Francis has perambulated the great city about which he writes. Indeed, he tells us as much. But this does not suffice. We venture to say that only a Londoner who has lived his life in London, and has inherited family traditions about it could give the subject an adequate treatment. Do we say "a Londoner" ? Several Londoners with these qualifi- cations would be wanted. Is it possible to suppose that the same man could write about riverside London and legal London, about the City and about the Northern suburbs, about Mayfair and St. Giles ? And then there is the consideration of space. Here we have two good-sized volumes. How many would be wanted? Walford and Thornbury's work is much larger than this; yet if any one who turns up in their book the particular spot which he blows best, he will probably think the account somewhat meagre. Possibly some one may say, to adapt what Rasselas said to lilac: " Enough ; you have convinced me that no one can write a history of London." So we may come back to our starting-point that this is a good book. It is well illustrated in its way ; but we do not see the interesting out-of-the-way corners which charm the real lover of London.
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