York and York Castle, an Appendix to the Records of
York Castle. By Captain A. W. Twyford, F.R.G.S. (Griffith and Farran.)—If people take up this book with the idea of learning something new of the history of the city of York, or of having their recollections of the cathedral refreshed by illustrations or archreological descriptions, they will be disappointed. It would be difficult to point out any other book that so fails to satisfy the expectations its title raises. As far as we can see, it contains nothing about York itself that has not been written to more purpose elsewhere, and we can per. ceive no motive for producing such a work, except to air the author's views on certain social subjects. It is our duty to warn our readers that if they want a full and authentic description of the city and its buildings, this book will not supply it. York, with its noble Minster and its extensive ruins, deserves better treatment at the hands of one who, as Governor of its Castle, must have had special facilities for acquiring local traditional lore and blending it with English history. But not only is the book deficient in much that might be said of the Minster, of the historical Bars, of St. Mary's Abbey, and of Clifford's Tower, but there is evidence of great care. lessness in his handling of established facts. The Minster has but five pages devoted to it, and these betray such a want of accuracy in its history that it makes one look with suspicion on what Captain Twyford says elsewhere about the city. With respect to the Minster, for instance, he tells us that it was Oswald who gave directions that a foundation of stone should be substituted for the timber building then standing; but surely it was Edwin who began the structure, and the walls to the roof were built before he Was slain, in 632. It was Archbishop Egbert, not Albert, who in 762 established the famous library, which was consecrated and added to the cathedral. Then, again, it was in 1069, not 1060—but this may be a printer's error— that the cathedral and library were destroyed by fire.
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