Ifif) GEOGRAPHIC LITERATURE 



three Prussian armies at Sadowa ; how many could give even an intelligent 

 guess as to what kingdom was annexed to Prussia in 1866, or what city was the 

 capital of Italy from 1864 to 1871 ? Such questions would prohably be scorned, 

 not only l)y that utilitarian visitor to the Yellowstone Park who, gazing upon 

 one of the most interesting scenes in that wonderful region, remarked what a 

 good place it would be " to scald hogs in," but by thousands of otiier men whose 

 utilitarianism has not found so extreme an expression ; and yet no one can be 

 familiar with the great events that led up to the unification of Germany, can 

 know how Italy came to be something moie than a mere geographical expres- 

 sion, orliave much acquaintance with the {)rofoundly interesting series of events 

 that have attended the gradual decadence and dismemberment of the Ottoman 

 Empire in Europe without knowing all these and a tliousand other things of 

 which our average college graduate is entirely ignorant. 



But whatever ignorance as to modern European history has existed among us 

 in the i)ast, its continuance in the future will be absolutely without excuse. 

 Professor Grosvenor's new book, published at a price considerably below that 

 of the average text-book, presents a narrative of the principal events of the last 

 fifty years in Europe and North America that, while modestly disclaiming to 

 be more than a mere outline, contains a wealth of interesting information, 

 breathes the true historic sjjirit in every line and word, and is characterized 

 throughout by a literary grace that constitutes it a verital)le royal road to one 

 of the most important departments of human knowledge. 



The book opens with a brief but graphic recital of the stirring events that 

 made the year 1848 one of the turning-points in human history, and then pro- 

 ceeds to discuss the influence of those events upon Europe. 'Chapter II deals 

 with the Second French Republic, brought to so speedy a termination by the 

 Coup iV Etut. A glance at Central Europe, the scene of a temporary triumph of 

 reaction, and we are introduced to the Second French Em{)ire, which, lasting 

 less than IS years, was yet signalized by three of the gieatest wars in history, 

 and came to its end in the midst of the most stupendous events the world had 

 witnessed since the overthrow of the First Napoleon. 



Succeeding chai)ters discuss the rivalry between Prussiaand Austria, culminat- 

 iug in the Seven Weeks' War ; the disintegrating influences at work in the new 

 Euii)ire of Austria-Hungary ; the regeneration of Italj^ and those epoch-making 

 events which preceded the transfer of the capital to Rome ; the spread of Nihil- 

 ism in Russia; the interminable Eastern Question in all its various phases; 

 France under the Third Republic; the partition of Africa, .\sia, and Oceania; 

 the foreign and domestic policies of successive British ministries, with the final 

 near approach of Great Britain to universal sufi'rage and equal rights, and, last 

 of all, the marvelous changes the half-century has witnessed in our own country, 

 which, almost against its will, has taken its seat in the parliament of nations 

 and has made itself respected and recognized as it never was before. 



Had Professor Grosvenor dealt with European history as a unit, his book 

 would have been deprived of much of what constitutes its chief value, nameh', 

 its adaptation to the needs of the historical novitiate. He might, with that 

 literary skill of which he is an acknowledged master, have presented us with a 

 Reries of graphic pictures that would have challenged our admiration ; but Euro- 



