25 JANUARY 1908, Page 14

THE ENGLISH CARDINALS.

The Story of the English Cardinals. By the Rev. Charles S. Isaacson. (Elliot Stock. 6s.)—The plan of this volume is the same as that of the author's "The Story of the Later Popes." There is nothing in the shape of exaggeration in this long series of biographies, which begins with Robert Pullen, who figured in the middle of the twelfth century, and ends with Cardinal Vaughan, who died in 1903. At the same time, Mr. Isaacson indicates his purpose when he says that his book "should be a sufficient warning to any who may be fondly inclined to wish for a reunion with the Roman Church as she at present exists." On the whole, perhaps the book is mainly valuable on account of the information it supplies regarding Cardinals who, like Robert Somercote, Robert Kilwardby, Robert Hallam, and Thomas Bouchier, are simply names even to readers who are tolerably familiar with Church history. There is a very attractive amount of controversial matter in this volume ; fortunately, also, there is an abundance of facts succinctly stated.