Salt Lake Telegram | 1923-04-29 | Page 5 | French Conflict in Clear Light of Truth

French Conflict In Clear Light Of Truth An event of real literary import importance ance ance arce is the of the second sec see I ond volume of Th French Revolution e tion by George II H. Allen The ap appearance app ap- ap p arance of the first book stirred blase critics and awoke universal l enthusiasm There are two more volumes which will vIll be eagerly awaited by interested readers Almost Aimo t a a. year has elapsed since the fir first book was completed and nd yet th the interest in history aroused by the war has not abated StirrIng Stirring Stir Stir- stimulated ring world events have hae tho the curiosity of thousands eager to Judge of the future by reading of the past pastS We Ve did not riot realize fully how the Russian revolution resembled that I of ot France until we had read the second book The nations of ot Europe I refused to recognize tho revolutionary revolution revolution- ary authorities of ot France as they do t today day that of Russia The rulers of Europe who for tor many generations generations generations genera genera- I had had no enemies but one another er were instinctively drawing together as though they foresaw the approach of a new and common peril when the rumble of the Impending impending impending im Im- im- im pending storm was heard The first book gave the basic causes of the threatening upheaval but ut iut as yet republican sentiment had not crystallized The nation asa asa as asa I a whole was still strongly attached to the tho ancient monar monarchy hy and loyal to the king The author says I In the assembly which had undertaken undertaken un- un t to remodel the structure t of the state the representatives of ot the middle class clas with their liberal associates among the clergy and noI nobility nobility no no- I formed a large majority This I body was essentially an organ of the substantial classes of society i Its members were largely inspired by lofty humanitarian ideals and en enthusiasm enthusiasm enthusiasm en- en for the philosophic doctrines doctrines doc doe trines of the eighteenth century They stood for a thorough but orderly orderly or- or derly reform consistent progress Little more than three years passed and the hope of peaceful evolution had vanished Passion and violence had usurped the place of moderation Foreign and nd domestic domestic domestic domes domes- tic enemies had conspired against the revolution The French king was a prisoner royalty had become the object of abhorrence and detestation detestation detestation tation in France The monarchists had been dispersed or destroyed the liberal reformers were silenced The nation natio t accepted the proclamation tion of the republic almost without protest The experiment with constitutional constitutional constitutional con con- monarchy had completely failed The present work explains the cause of this failure Professor Protessor Al Allen Allen Allen Al- Al len throws such a clear white light upon the events of that time that one feels as though one were an ac actual actual actual ac- ac witness to th the epoch making movements Had Louis XVI just a little more resolution at certain critical periods pe pe- pe- pe nods had he Just a little more power to sway the Imagination ton of his volatile people Napoleons Napoleon's shadow would never have fallen across the battlefields of Europe Madame Guillotines Guillotine's bloody knife would not have fallen on the necks of so many innocent victims and andI the revolution would not have burst I forth forth forth-at at least so soon It Is certainly Interesting to note how in France as in Russia certain characters hitherto obscure suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly sprang to the stage and played important and terrible parts Allen AHen draws each one in steady clear strokes until they are as well vell known to the reader as are his neighbors In tact fact reading Allen gives one more of watching the unfolding of a n wonderful play scene by scene than anything we can recall re recall re- re call In literature There are plots and counter plots The king and queen plan with the enemies of their country for tor a a. a foreign Invasion The Duke of ot Orleans organizes and finances the first great massacre of ot the nobles then in the prison The royal family attempt to escape from France and the entire course of French history hangs on the patriotIsm patriotIsm patriotism patriot patriot- ism of a country postmaster But do not gather from this that Allen AllenIs Is cheaply dramatic Instead dramatic instead he Is thorough detailed In his accounts of the politics of tho the times and Judicial judicial judicial Judi judi- cial In weighing all causes and ef of- of H He has produced new evidence and performed a marvelous amount of research wor work and supplementary tary reading He Ho- HoIs Is above all authoritative au authoritative au- au clear and Interesting I The books are elaborately bound and the illustrations s arp superb In I II fact the publishers are aro to be congratulated congratulated con con- I on this service to the public George George Barries Barrie's Sons con I Philadelphia