ENGLAND UNDER THE OLD RELIGION, AND OTHER ESSAYS. By Francis Aidan Gasquet, D.D., Abbot-President of the English Benedictines. Crown 8vo. Pp. viii, 358. London: G. Bell & Sons. 6s. net. A COLLECTION of formal lectures and essays by Dr. Gasquet, the learned abbot-president of the English Benedictines, is always welcome, though one may not look at the subjects treated by him exactly from the same viewpoint. This volume comprises a miscellaneous assortment of studies, from a weighty discussion on the condition of England under the Old Religion' to a trivial but piquant satire on the slipshod methods of modern 'Editing and Reviewing. Some of the essays, like that on The Question of Anglican Ordinations,' are highly controversial: indeed most of them betray an ecclesiastical bias unsuitable for discussion here. Scottish readers, however, will turn with sympathy to a brief but interesting historical survey of Scotland in Penal Days,' the reprint of an address given at Fort Augustus in 1911 on the occasion of the Bishop Hay centenary celebrations. In our view one of the most valuable and instructive essays in the volume is the chapter on 'France and the Vatican,' a lecture delivered in America and afterwards in Liverpool. JAMES WILSON. THE POLITICAL PROPHECY IN ENGLAND. By Rupert Taylor. Pp. xx. 165. [London: H. Frowde for] The Columbia University Press. 1911. 5s. 6d. net. WHILE it may be true that no study of political prophecy as a literary form has preceded this volume 'approved by the Department of English in Columbia University as a contribution to knowledge worthy of publication,' the subject has a bibliography profounder even than Dr. Taylor has discovered. The modest excuses he offers, in the scattered nature of the material and the difficulty of the theme, command acceptance at once, and the essay will pro tanto fill a gap. Exposition starts from Geoffrey of Monmouth, and chief illustrations, as well as chief services to study, come from the examination of twelfth to fifteenth century literature of this designedly mysterious class. Professor Alois Brandl of Berlin often comes into the line of critical fire in respect of his readings of certain alliterative prophecies in particular, and his interpretation of the prophetic type in general. But there is reason to believe that Professor Brandl's later studies of medieval political prediction led him far further into the manuscript recesses of the subject than Dr. Taylor's researches have yet taken him. The German was chiefly searching for explanations of particular prophecies: the American is tracing the type and its successes and failures in political purpose. Dr. Taylor has read widely in this peculiar literature, and if he has seldom discovered interpretations for himself, and has sometimes missed the studies of others in quest of interpretation, he has laid down a good general plan of the course of development, and traced the dominant 'Galfridian' type with its animal symbolism not only in Britain but also in its successful invasion of the Continent. The result is a sort of bibliographic survey, which, although not exhaustive, and therefore not definitive in particular sections, must considerably help the investigator of any of the national sub-cycles dealt with. He omits the vow-cycle, which properly has a place in the theme. A good many bibliographic shortcomings occur, and the apparatus of elucidation for individual predictions is defective also. The oddity of exposition of prophecy lies in the fact that the historical part, not the prophetic, is the part which counts, and it is by the historical elucidation alone, that is by the unprophetic past, that criticism of the prophetical is clarified. Dr. Taylor has few or no original interpretations He is not fully master of the subject of the Ampulla prophecies: he has missed the corrected historical interpretation of the Becket prophecy (Antiquary, February, 1905), and has not suspected the motive offered to 'prophecy by the diplomatic negotiations for the release of King John of France and David II. of Scotland. In discussing the earlier Davy's Dreams he has failed to note the fact, central to the discussion, that Edward III. was actually elected Emperor in 1348, but declined the perilous glory of the imperial throne. Considerable hesitation must be felt about his statement that the British use of animal symbolism in prophecy is unique (p. 5). As a phase of the bestiaries and the beast-epic is it not common to Christendom? In dealing with the Merlin prophetic pieces he does not gather up the historical allusions, and certainly brings nothing material to explain Geoffrey beyond what Sebastian Evans advanced. Generally he is rather a confused contributor to the discussion, although he puts a great deal of excellent but unindexed material into the field. No adequate notice is taken of various indications that the war of Scottish independence was influenced by flying predictions. William Bannister's prophecies escape mention. Wolfius in his extraordinary Lectiones Memorabiles illustrates along the whole line the prevalence of prophecy in relation to the history of the Church. As regards the bestiary type of prophecy reference might with profit be made to an important passage in Scalacronica (ed. Bannatyne Club, p. 317). And there are predictions in the Reliquiae Antiquae which would have helped out the bibliography. Much stress, however, should never be laid on the shortcomings of an inevitably imperfect list of consulted sources: the work done is faithful and of great service, and Dr. Taylor has excellently opened up the study of a complex and hardly fathomable theme. The Register oF THE PRIVY COUNCIL OF SCOTLAND. Edited by P. Hume Brown, M.A., LL.D., Historiographer Royal. Third series. Vol. V. A.D. 1676-1678. Pp. xlii, 799. 8vo. H.M. General Register House, Edinburgh. 1912. 15s. net. A MORE Complete picture of tyranny than this volume presents it would be hard to find. It shows, compared with the preceding volume (noticed S.H.R. ix. 415), systematic general and growing severity of government action to compel conformity. So many are the ordinances of repression that the ordinary life and business of the community (usually the fullest and most interesting part of a Privy Council volume) are a reduced fraction. Lauderdale is busy with the putting down of conventicles and of recusancy by the exaction of obligations by the people to abstain from preachings, obligations by heritors to exact sub-bonds from their tenantry, proclamations breathing forth threatenings and slaughter against the opposers and the dilatory, injunctions upon sheriffs to enforce the acts in the teeth of notorious public rejection of them, and, finally, elaborate preparations and directions for the Highland host quartered upon the bond-refusing West, especially Ayrshire. Nowhere in history (outside of the Netherlands under Alva) is there to be had so crass an example of an attempt to cram down the throat of a reluctant country an unpalatable system of worship. Nowhere can be seen evidence of failure more complete. Professor Hume Brown's preface, shorter than usual, expresses its substance in the statement: 'Of the entries in the present volume of the Register fully three-fourths refer to the measures taken by the Council to suppress religious discontent.' Fifeshire stood next to Ayr in the persistency of its defiance. East Lothian followed hard, and Glasgow was in evil grace with the Council for the 'great multitudes' who profaned the Sabbath day by going to conventicles and deserting 'the publick worship within the city.' Glasgow appears in several special connections, including a fine on the magistrates for the escape of prisoners, a scheme for a stage coach service to Edinburgh, the dispute between the printers Anderson and Saunders, and principally, the great 'casuall fyre' in 1677, whereby the best richest and greatest pairt of the toune is now turned to ashes,' to the complete ruin of between 600 and 700 families. In 1678 the town council gave its bond for the good behaviour of its Provand tenants, and in respect thereof 'beat a bank' through the town for the whole burgesship to sign a bond of relief. Miscellaneous public events include the retirement of Nisbet of Dirlton from the office of lord advocate and the succession of McKenzie-of sinister epithet-to the position, involving the unpopular function of public prosecutor. A few witchcraft cases emerge. Gipsies and vagabonds are transported to the American plantations; charter chests are searched; letters of fire and sword are issued against Farquharsons and others. Algerian pirates capture the 'Issobell' of Montrose. A post service to Ireland (2s. Scots per letter for 40 miles, 4s. for 80 miles or upwards) is ordained to be established. The servile state of coalhewers and salters causes complications (or, is it, offers pretexts?) about the lawburrows bond for them. The laird of Skelmorlie has as heirlooms 'antick arms,' including 'ane old fashoned Hieland durk' excepted from a disarming order (p. 546). Supplies to the Highland host embrace a stock of 'sixtie timber dishes sixtie timber cuppes fourty timber stoupes' (p. 555). A Covenanter's declaration at the scaffold (p. 608) addressed to Good people and spectators' is a dignified utterance, not even now to be read without emotion. Lauderdale's day of reckoning was not to be long deferred; his apologists have now a better chance to understand his policy than they ever had before. Professor Hume Brown's exposition of it is a model of restraint, but the citations themselves speak. Miscellaneous original papers, forming an appendix, contain material more racily phrased than the more formal minutes, but the picturesque capacities of the vernacular are sometimes carried into even the latter. An alleged witch indignantly declares that lying accusers may and ordinarlie doe blunder the best of God's servants' (p. 232). A euphemism worth remembering is that the design of the host (p. 272) was 'falne upon for preventing any supprysa!! that might happen.' For his well-indexed text the editor has had the valued aid of the Rev. Henry Paton, and text and introduction alike reflect the scrupulous care and thoroughness of the historiographer royal. THE STORY OF THE FORTH. By H. M. Cadell of Grange, D.L., B.Sc., net. THE earlier portion of this handsome and well-illustrated book deals chiefly with matters of importance to geologists and mineralogists, although it is interesting from the point of view of the history of the making of Scotland; and in this connection we would draw special attention to the account of the old boring operations in the vicinity of the Forth. The second portion of the volume is of vital historical interest. It is largely occupied with the narrative of the iron industry and the growth of the Carron Company, which was formed in 1759 by Dr. Roebuck, Samuel Garbett and William Cadell, to make iron in Scotland. One of the partners, Sir Charles Gascoigne, after encountering various difficulties in connection with the Company, eventually received an offer from the Empress Catherine II. of Russia to cast her ordnance, and he left Scotland for Russia with some of the firm's workmen. Although he had not been fortunate in Scotland, he became famous in Russia. Interesting accounts are given of the early iron works and the oil industry, the reclamation of the Forth valley, and the clearing of Blair Drummond Moss, which was begun by Lord Kames in 1766. While these subjects are treated in the light of their past history, Mr. Cadell's volume is also full of suggestions as to future revival and expansion. The author's close intimacy with the neighbourhood and its industries, and his practical knowledge of geological science, entitle his views to very careful consideration. We welcome this valuable contribution to the history and geography of Scotland. STOLEN WATERS: A PAGE IN THE CONQUEST OF ULSTER. By T. M. Healy, M.P. Pp. x, 492. With Map. Demy 8vo. London: Longmans, Green, & Co. 1913. 10s. 6d. net. THIS 'Page in the Conquest of Ulster' (which makes a volume of almost five hundred closely printed pages) deals wholly with the right to the rich fishings of the river Bann, which drains Loch Neagh. It was part of the bait held out by James I. to the citizens of London to induce them to 'plant' Ulster; but they never got it, despite the most solemn engagement, being robbed of it by the astuteness of the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir Arthur Chichester, in the possession of whose representatives the greater portion still remains. The author recounts how this embezzlement from |