LEOPOLD VON RANKE. 553 



studies threw new light upon such characters as Catherine de' Medici, 

 Henry IV., Richelieu, Mazariu, and Louis XIV. Ranke's History 

 of England, covering the period of the Stuarts and of both Revolutions, 

 in nine volumes, appeared in the years from 1859 to 1861. Like all 

 his previous work, this also was based upon original studies. Ranke 

 betook himself to the British Museum, and to the Record Office in 

 London. The English reader may be quite sure that he will find in 

 Ranke's History of England facts and deductions which no previous 

 historian had reached. Lord Acton, who is said to be the best-read man 

 in England, in his brilliant article on " German Schools of History," 

 published in the first number of the English Historical Review, says 

 that Ranke " alone among writers of prose has furnished a masterpiece 

 to every country." 



The completion of the History of England marks the completion 

 of a grand circuit of European history by Leopold von Ranke. He 

 had passed in historical review the great states of modern times. He 

 was now nearly seventy years of age. He was raised to the rank of 

 the nobility on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. He enjoyed 

 the admiration of all Germany and the appreciation of the learned 

 world. The fiftieth anniversary of his doctor's degree was cele- 

 brated by enthusiastic pupils, and the event was marked by a new 

 and complete edition of his writings. Thus crowned with honors and 

 with years, he might well have thought of retiring from further labor ; 

 but Ranke's activity suffered no diminution. He was indeed relieved 

 from the responsibility of further lecturing at the Berlin University. 

 His name was retained in the catalogue for twenty years longer, and 

 students read after that famous name the words liesst nicht. During 

 this period of pensioned leisure, accorded to Ranke by tlie Prussian 

 government, he produced in quick succession that wonderful series of 

 contributions to German history : 1. German History from the 

 Religious Peace to the Thirty Years' War; 2. History of "VVallen- 

 stein ; 3. Origin of the Seven Years' War ; 4. History of Austria 

 and Prussia between the Peace of Aix la Chapelle and Hubertsburg ; 

 5. The German States and the League of Princes ; 6. Origin and 

 Beginning of the Revolutionary Wars of 1791-92; 7. Memoirs of 

 Hardenberg, which, like the Memoirs of Metternich, were kept back 

 for half a century; and 8. Life of Frederick William IV. The last 

 named of these writings brings Prussian history down to the time of 

 the present King. Such a brilliant series of contributions by an his- 

 torian who had long passed the allotted term of human life seemed to 

 the world nothing short of marvellous. 



