The Ancient World. By J. A. G. Barton. (Blackwood.)—If Mr.
Barton had added to the title of his book something which would have limited its scope to the ancient history of the East, it would have been well. Many persons, otherwise well read, would be glad of the concise sketches here given of the history of China, India, &c. Here, too, Mr. Barton seems to be at home. The case is quite different when he comes to speak of Greece and Rome. He does not seem to be acquainted with, or, anyhow, to appreciate the results of recent thought and research in these subjects. We do not see the broad, philosophical views which alone can give any value to brief sketches of this kind. Even details. are not correctly given. It is a curious mistake, for instance, for an Englishman to make about his own island, to say that it was added to the Roman dominion within a century of the year B.C. 147. And it is an equally conspicuous error to say that in the Social war "all the Italian States which had been conquered by Rome fought for equal privileges with the Roman citizens." Rome would have had a hard time if she had had to fight with all Italy. Her fortune or her policy divided it, and saved her.
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