CURRENT LITERAT U RE.
THE REAL FRENCH REVOLUTIONIST.
The Real French Revolutionist. By Henry Jephson. (Mac- millan and Co. 6s)—Mr. Jephson has given a very vivid account of the Vendean War, mainly derived from the revolutionary records, with the object of throwing, as he says, " RiAtgen rays on the nature and methods and character of the French Revolu- tionist and Republican," and of revealing the French Revolution as a "warning So humanity from steering to shipwreck and destruction." We cannot doubt that he has succeeded in giving a truthful picture, both of the characteristics of the Terrorist
regime and of the devotion and heroism of the Vendean nobles and peasantry so nearly exterminated by that regime, to the lasting detriment of France. But while the book may doubtless add something to the actual knowledge of English readers on the subject, and confirm their judgment on this portion of the history of the Revolution, we can hardly take it as the author evidently wishes us to do as throwing a new and original light on the meaning of the revolutionary upheaval. The work of destroying the revolutionary legend has been long since accomplished by many distinguished French historians and students, and for all the lessons it is likely to teach Englishmen, to dwell exclusively on the horrors and excesses of the time seems unnecessary or even harmful. We would not be under- stood as implying that Mr. Jephson has not fully acknowledged the labour of French authors, or that he has not made a skilful use of his materials in his book, but merely as questioning the utility of "directing wider public attention" to the terrible story in this country, already sufficiently and foolishly prejudiced against her nearest neighbour. The work had to be done and has been done in France, and foreign writers might perhaps at this distance of time content themselves with a more philosophic treatment than Mr. Jephson has given to the subject in this book, interesting as it nevertheless is in matter and manner.
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