Page:History of Freedom.djvu/632

 XVII

HISTORICAL PHILOSOPHY IN FRANCE AND FRENCH BELGIUM AND S\VITZERLAND. By ROBERT FLINT 1

WHEN Dr. Flint's former ,vork appeared, a critic, who, it is true, was also a rival, objected that it was diffusely \vritten. What then occupied three hundred and thirty pages has now expanded to seven hundred, and suggests a doubt as to the use of criticism. It must at once be said that the increase is nearly all material gain. The author does not cling to his main topic, and, as he insists that the science he is adumbrating flourishes on the study of facts only, and not on speculative ideas, he bestows some needless attention on historians who professed no philosophy, or who, like Daniel and Velly, \vere not the best of their kind. Here and there, as in the account of Condorcet, there may be an unprofitable or superfluous sentence. But on the whole the enlarged treatment of the philosophy of history in France is accomplished not by expansion, but by solid and essential addition. Many writers are included whom the earlier volume passed over, and Cousin occupies fewer pages no\v than in 1874, by the aid of smaller type and the omission of a passage injurious to Schelling. Many necessary corrections and improvements have been made, such as the transfer of Ballanche from theocracy to the liberal Catholicism of \vhich he is supposed to be the founder. Dr. Flint's unchallenged superiority consists alike in his familiarity with obscure, but not irrelevant authors, ] English Historical ReviC'i.u, 1895. 588