England under the Tudors. Vol. I., "King Henry VII." By
Dr. Wilhelm Busch. Translated by Alice M. Todd. (A. D. Innes and Co.) —This volume, which ought to have been noticed long ago, comes with an introductory commendation from Mr. James Gairdner. It is the first instalment of a projected work which is to extend into six volumes. Professor Busch explains that he had originally intended to treat the reign of Henry VII "as a mere introduction to the rest." But study of the man and his policy made him alter his intention, revealing, as it did, the fundamental importance of the reign to the system of personal rule which was built up on it The fact is that Henry VIL carried out his policy with less deflections from his deliberiate purpose than did any other of the Tudor Monarchs. The element of personal predilection was less weighty in him than in any of his successors. What this policy was, and what was effected by it, is drawn out with great industry and insight by Professor Busch. Henry, as he is pictured in this volume, is clearly seen to be a very far-sighted Monarch, who had a remark- ably clear idea of what he wanted, and how this was to be attained. It is interesting, for example, to contrast his Scotch policy with that of the greatest of his predecessors, Edward I. Both had the same object in view,—the uniting of the whole island under one crown. But how different the method ! It was a ease of "bells. gerant alii, tu fella Austria nube." The possibility that England might come to be the dominion of a Scottish Prince did not trouble him. The contingency is said to have been held up before him as a warning against the proposed marriage of Margaret with James of Scotland, and he is said to have replied that this would not harm England, because England would not fall to Scotland, but Scotland to England. His financial policy is also vindicated. English finance was no easy matter in those days, so poor was the country. A tax that raised only .227,000 pressed so heavily as to cause an insurrection in the North. Probably Henry had the defects of his good qualities in this matter, but his finance laid the foundations of English prosperity. This is a most valuable work.
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