The Catholic Historical Review: Forty Years Author(s): Carl Wittke Reviewed work(s): Source: The Catholic Historical

Review, Vol. 42, No. 1 (Apr., 1956), pp. 1-14 Published by: Catholic University of America Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25015985 . Accessed: 28/04/2012 03:09
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The

Catholic Review

Historical

Vol. XLII

APRIL,

1956 No. 1

THE CATHOLICHISTORICAL REVIEW?FORTY YEARS By

Carl Wittke* HISTORICAL Forty years have passed since the CATHOLIC in April, 1915. its bow to the historical profession REVIEW made In that time the journal has carried 468 articles, 218 items of "mis cellany" averaging ten pages in length ; shorter notes and comments ; hundreds of book reviews ; and from 1921 to 1928 inclusive, a section entitled "Chronicles." Bishop Thomas J. Shahan, professor of church of America, served as history and Rector of the Catholic University Peter editor-in-chief from 1915 to 1929, although the late Monsignor from its incep Guilday was the driving force behind the REVIEW to the title of chief editor in 1929. Dr. John tion, and succeeded editor, has served in that capacity Tracy Ellis, the present managing to hold the title since 1941, although Guilday continued practically and fatal illness from 1941 of editor-in-chief during his prolonged one exception, the board of editors have been members to 1947. With of America, and all have of the faculty of the Catholic University been priests, with the exception of Charles H. McCarthy, Leo J. R. P. McGuire. and Martin Of the Purcell, Stock, Richard J. The advisory editors of the past forty years, six have been priests. faculties of Queens remainder were recruited from the history Saint Louis University, of University, College, Georgetown Loyola sixteen
The Dean historian to have of editors of the REVIEW School the Graduate of American the first forty of Western to thank Dr. Wittke, opportunity Reserve and distinguished University to their for his generous response request the journal Dean surveyed by an outsider. take this

immigration, of years

Wittke's

latest work

is The Irish in America 1

(Baton Rouge,

1956).

THE

CATHOLIC

HISTORICAL

REVIEW?FORTY

YEARS

Chicago, Archives

Seton

Hall,

the Catholic

University

of America,

and

the

of Canada. Department in 1915 Cardinal Gibbons hailed the launching of the REVIEW with a foreword in which he expressed his pleasure that the venture at the Catholic University of America, and would help originated In an of this noble institution." "proclaim the worth and greatness Shahan "The Spirit of the Catholic Historical Review,1' Bishop the tendency to reduce all human action "to terms deplored thor of physical and material science" and called for theologians, who could meet their oppon trained in historical oughly scholarship, article entitled

ents "on the field of history," and defend the thesis "that God rules over the affairs of mankind to His and disposes all things according own purposes." He argued that the historian has a sacred obligation to seek the truth and to explain its meaning, that and he regretted historians were not trained in a philosophy which "admits the many He defined the function of the American Catholic supernatural." historian as saving "the science of history from extravagant specula tion and . . . exploitation in the interest of untried theories," and . . . from oblivion "the names and deeds of those who rescuing the faith in the new world." planted were concerned almost of the REVIEW The first six volumes in America. with articles on the history of the Church exclusively in Europe, the journal devoted more space to Catholicism Thereafter, and, to a lesser degree, the rest of the world. Charles H. McCarthy's I took sharp issue with Charles Kendall Adams' article in Volume of Paul J. Foik, librarian of the University work on Columbus. an important article on early Catholic contributed Notre Dame, in the United States, and Frederick J. Zwierlein began journalism which ultimately a series with an article on the Diocese of Rochester, on Bishop McQuaid. work into his two-volume John developed of the Library of Congress wrote on "The Preservation C. Fitzpatrick and Waldo G. Leland, of the American of Ecclesiastical Documents," and Historical Association, pleaded for the collection, preservation, in Catholic history. A section dealing of source materials publication with "Documents" was begun with Volume I, and the book reviews, books primarily. Before the dealt with Catholic mostly unsigned, the reviews took note of the work of such end of the year, however, as Fish, non-Catholic historians American Beard, outstanding In the section on "Notes and others. and many Cheyney, Dunning, Comments," journals were significant articles from other historical

CARL WITTKE

to the attention educators were of the reader, and Catholic use the History items dealt Teacher's Magasine. Additional urged to a rebuke to Catholic historians with bibliography, for failure to attend called the recent annual meeting of the American Historical Association, and an editorial note pleading for higher standards of scholarship and recognizing that "many things handed down as historic fact about the Church in America in Catholic circles are based on romance and (I, 476). misconception" was well on its By the end of the first year the new REVIEW It required years of further editorial experience and changes way. before the present format and standards of the journal were perfected, and to establish the rules of editorial and bibliographical techniques. As late as 1925, the practice with reference to footnotes and bibliog standardized. raphy and book reviews had not yet been completely to be asked in connection with any new The fundamental question was it established? one good reason is Obviously, journal is?why are not enough historical that there journals to carry all the contribu tions of merit in the field. Another have is that religious been forces in the neglected by historians, has had an important functional heritage although in our history, and needs to be objectively evaluated. significance The separation of Church and State has been a fundamental concept of the American constitutional system, but this should not divert attention from the fact that religion and the life of the state are in building interrelated. many ways most vitally in maintaining of the Church peace, try to estimate the share in order, and public morality, for government, and in preserving the many over the years, would be have been developed To of the United our religious States

respect establishing social controls which forces which are no less important because at first trying to measure seem to be somewhat Leland believed glance they may intangible. "have done much more American Catholics for their history that than . . . Protestant denominations" that (II, 390), but maintained was a real place for a special journal devoted to this area of there

study. Still another reason for launching the new enterprise undoubtedly was a desire to add to the intellectual and stature of reputation to promote sounder scholarship, American and to help Catholicism, Catholics have termed "the ghetto leading American destroy what of inferiority and isolation prevalent for a long time among mentality" so many of their fellow religionists. The causes of this sense of

THE CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW?FORTY YEARS

for cultural and the consequent need to band together inferiority, mutual support and sympathy, may be found in the early experiences of Catholics in America; the fact that for a long time the Church was an immigrant church, lacking a substantial middle class; and the anti-Catholic in our several periods bigotry which has marked In comparison with the intellectual activities of leading history. in earlier years American historians Catholic European Catholics, the REVIEW revealed what in 1918 as "a lack of characterized which "gives an ephemeral character to most of the work training," done by Catholic writers of history," who lacked the kind of intellec to be acquired only in "the historical tual discipline laboratory" (IV, Five years later Guilday, who was thoroughly trained in the 380). Catholic historians were field, pointed out that only a few American works of value." Another able Catholic historian "producing (Charles G. Hebermann) observed that "many of our Catholic histories read like the pages of a ledger and partly like catalogues of bishops partly and priests." Although American Catholics rapidly acquired wealth, of their and strength of organization, numbers, influence, many leaders still contend that their intellectual prestige has not risen to a degree commensurate with their material progress. are forced to select Its votaries is a unique discipline. History a rigidly trained and to interpret what they find, and to exercise to reconstruct scenes and events long past. In the words imagination tries his best to cope with reality and the historian of Trevelyan, fact, but the image of truth must always be reflected through the In this sense history falls just short prism of his own finite mind. and a creative of being a science, and remains one of the humanities to art. In a way that is always, to a considerable degree, personal him recreates it to the past by subjecting of history every writer involve to certain norms of judgment and value. These inevitably some degree the historian's of life, and, in many cases, philosophy as Becker is and Beard his theology. Moreover, insisted, history,

in terms of present-day interest, experi constantly being re-written Lord Acton and values. ence, pointed out long ago that the only student is a dead one, because by that time he completely detached no longer care. would true it is particularly scholarship, It is not surprising, when history deals with theology and religion. therefore, to find the REVIEW, especially in its earlier years, becom of what is "Catholic history," and in what ing involved in discussions If this is true of all historical

CARLWITTKE

sense we may speak of a "Catholic historian." there can Obviously, be only two kinds of history, good and bad, and the basis of compari son is the verifiable amount of truth they contain and the method and style of presentation. have argued that Many Catholic writers other kind of history would be both theologically and philosophic any There is no special kind of Catholic historiography, ally unsound. scholar should be more humble, and, although, perhaps, a Christian therefore, more eager to become a more competent scholar. once more, To quote Lord Acton it is the duty of historians "to suffer no man and no cause to escape the undying penalty which history Vatican the power to inflict on wrong." When he opened the in 1883 Pope Leo XIII defined the canons of sound historical in words that have been often quoted, scholarship "No effort should be spared to refute inventions and falsehoods; and the writers must always bear this rule in mind: that the first has Archives law of history the second, not is, not to dare to utter falsehood; to fear to speak the truth; and moreover, no room must be left for suspicion of partiality or prejudice." The papal statement poses the problem common to all historical scholars, and they have dealt with it with varying degrees of success and forthrightness, son of a Protestant of the popes in his Yet, "behind the on the other von Pastor, their religion. Ludwig father and a Catholic mother, wrote a history which won him the title of "model Catholic historian." own words, he found no need to hide the Catholic past cassocks of ecclesiastics." Ranke's History of the Popes, forbidden by the Church, although hand, was expressly whatever

an article in the REVIEW that permission to use it will suggests be "readily granted to those who have a good reason to ask for it" 285). The author of that comment admitted that there (V [N.S.], were ugly as well as noble phases in the history of the Church, fail to live up to its teachings. because mortals primarily John A. of the Church toward Freedom article on "The Attitude of Ryan's with concerned the larger issues although primarily Speech," involved, touched upon this problem also (VIII [N.S.], April 1928). address before the American Charles H. McCarthy's presidential in 1924 was concerned with "stresses Association Catholic Historical in the writing of American and omissions" history (IV [N.S.], in another presidential Thirteen years later, address, entitled 27-46). "The Place characterized in Catholic Education," of History Herbert C. F. Bell the tendency to study church history in a vacuum as "a

THE CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW?FORTY YEARS

; pleaded for more and better scholarship among palpable absurdity" a better understanding of the Church's recommended Catholics; and insisted that "no man ranked by the Church as a adversaries; great heretic has failed to show some elements of greatness" [XXIII in a Catholic leader in medicine, 1938) ]. James J. Walsh, (January on "The Church and Cures," to the REVIEW another contribution of "an ultra-conservative advised position with regard to healing and all kinds," shrines and health "cures, healing any including 1925]. restoring by spiritual means" [V (N.S.), April have urged the in the REVIEW On several occasions, writers A pro a "Catholic List of Historical Publications." of preparation that maintained fessor of history at St. Ignatius College, Cleveland, as contain such a list should include "such works of non-Catholics all works no errors," and exclude "likely to endanger practically the faith" of the reader. He favored including all Catholic authors, because "they are correct in regard to Faith good or bad, however, A short article in the issue of January, and Morals" [IV, 76-79]. of "from the entanglements 1937, urging that history be divorced demanded and economics," social service, psychology philanthropy, that the discipline be restored to its proper place as a record of man's "advance towards God," and that it be taught "as a kind of contem plation," "in the light of divine love and divine providence." in 1925, A somewhat similar article by John M. Cooper, published which statement of Catholic included an uncompromising theology, continued with the statement that students must be trained to under stand "that the Church is not a structure hanging up in the clouds," "drawn from the angelic hosts." An essay on with a membership Truth" Truth and Historical "Catholic 1920)] by a [VI (October zeal for the "indiscreet historians cleric warned London against without ; but condoned, fully of facts," for and withholding the occasional "suppression approving, "in for those in authority," the sake of religion, charity, "reverence the and to "vindicate the interest of justice and historical truth," The doctrine." of the Church and the truth of Catholic authority that there is no dis assertion article concluded with the categorical interests of doctrinal orthodoxy" truth. The following year, crepancy between Catholic and historical for a return in the REVIEW, a Jesuit historian, writing pleaded as most historians non-Catholic to the sources; he characterized that Catholic historians honest seekers after truth, and concluded could not properly pose "as the sole authority or . . . supreme court of Catholic historical sources."

CARLWITTKE Discussions HISTORICAL the problems here, of this nature

and theology. and many obviously in philos involve fundamental problems for a number ophy, as well as historical scholarship. Apparently, of scholars, of a dilemma the issues poses something from which

continued to appear in the CATHOLIC for a number of years. They point up REVIEW that arise when history becomes involved with dogma The questions they raise need not be developed further

they have not been completely able to extricate themselves, although of this basic problem occur less frequently discussions in the later volumes of the REVIEW. its scope the REVIEW steadily expanded was organ Catholic Historical Association ized in Cleveland in 1919, at the time of the annual convention of the American Historical Franklin Association. the Jameson, J. was in the audience when the new organ of that Association, Nestor ization was it his blessing and wise counsel, and launched, gave became its only honorary member. Once again, Peter Guilday was the driving force which brought the new organization to life. The Association the REVIEW its official organ, and beginning made with 1921, Volume VII, the journal widened its scope of interest to include the history of the Church the world. Volume throughout in the con XVIII, e.g., was devoted almost entirely to the Church XXVI dealt with Latin America. temporary world while Volume the Association's After list had years twenty-five membership this period, about fifty articles, dealing grown to only 729. During from papers the American and drawn with read at the Church, Association's found their way into the REVIEW. annual meetings, in modern the Church dealt with countries; European Forty-six with the mediaeval twelve with Latin America. Church; twenty-six were concerned with historical methods, and nineteen Thirty-nine of history and matters of interpretation. In 1933 with the philosophy the passing years With of interest. The American

Ministers

the Association States published its first volume of documents?United to the Papal States: Instructions and Despatches, 1848 edited by Leo F. Stock. The policy of accepting papers, 1868, ably for publica read at Association meetings, practically automatically came to an end in 1941, largely because too in the REVIEW, tion that time they have been of inferior quality. Since many were accepted only if the editorial staff of the REVIEW regarded them as of superior merit. reveals an impressive and A random sampling of the REVIEW interest in the kind of historical articles considered steadily broadening

THE CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW?FORTY YEARS

is a variety of contributions of publication. There dealing worthy the continent of with the Church history of Ireland and England; Canada and Latin America; Europe, including Poland and Russia; of the articles deal with topics of equal Many such as a study and non-Catholic historians, of the domestic economy of the early English Dominicans ;Lamennais* career in France; two articles, wholly of Toulouse; in the gildsman and a and French Church history, French, dealing with Byzantine third on "La paroisse et l'habitant canadien sous le regime fran?ais." a lead article in 1928 on William R. Riddell of Canada contributed in the Dominion. Robert H. Lord, a convert the status of Catholicism on on mediaeval Articles who became a priest, wrote parliaments. the history of Ireland were popular, but the number dealing with the is less than one might expect, in view of recent scholar Middle Ages the period, and the dominant role world. the history of the western Francis J. Tschan discussed the reasons for the decadence of Spain; in the France Parker T. Moon wrote on the social Catholic movement in 1932 reviewed of the Third Republic, and Carlton H. J. Hayes ship concerned of the Church with rehabilitating in this stage of in the Light of Contemporary "The Significance of the Reformation were converts. There were other Both Moon and Hayes Scholarship." articles about Erasmus, Grotius, Renan, a number of popes and saints, and dealing with many other topics of special importance to church
historians.

and the Philippines. interest to Catholic

of interest The same expansion and still, States history, originally, The REVIEW published much of and material on the American West an article by the Dominion America ; sources

occurred

in the field

the REVIEW'S the late Gilbert

of United concern. major

J. Garraghan's in early Mid the role of France archivist on Catholic historical

"French in the Canadian archives ;Professor John J. Meng's a lead article by Edmund in Philadelphia, 1778-1779," Diplomacy R. Marraro's on the Continental Howard C. Burnett Congress; field ;Leo F. Stock's article studies in the Italian-American excellent of the Southern Con in the Diplomacy on "Catholic Participation Hunt's controversial essay on the possible federacy," and Gaillard to the Virginia works Declaration Bellarmine's relation of Cardinal of Rights. to the REVIEW have been of contributors The great majority historians the journal is open to non-Catholic Catholics, although II more than thirty non-Catholics have also. Beginning with Volume

CARLWITTKE published articles reviews. Because editors welcomed

in the REVIEW, and others have contributed book interest in Pacific Coast history the of a natural E. Bolton, contributions Herbert Charles E. by

and Herbert I. Priestley of of the California group Chapman, an Lawrence M. Larson historians. Spanish-American published article on the Church in Greenland the considered S. Aiton ;Arthur Kenneth Church-State issue in Latin America; Scott Latourette on the Christian missionary wrote movement; Ray A. Billington contributed an excellent article on "Maria Monk and Her Influence"; and Perry Miller another on "The Puritan Theory of the Sacra ments in Seventeenth New England." Century The REVIEW contains considerable material on phases of United States history which are of equal importance to Catholics and non By way of illustration, attention may be directed to articles over throw light on such American issues as the controversies and "Cahenslyism" the school ques ; "trusteeism," "Americanism," tion in politics; the role of Catholic in the wars of the chaplains United States; and the rise of religious orders and their services to their communities. of anti-Catholc propa Billington's bibliography Catholics. which in the United States to 1860 is invaluable. The students of and the A. P. A. immigration will find articles on Know-Nothingism interest include Henry articles of general Noteworthy J. Browne's attitude toward western critical study of Archbishop coloni Hughes' account Hawthorne's of Bishop Sister Mary zation; Evangela Coal Strike Commission; John Spalding's work on the Anthracite ganda Ireland and Manifest article on "Archbishop Destiny"; Indian School Question "The Catholic and the Siever's J. Harry of 1892" ; and an edition of letters by Dorothy Presidential Election in July, 1954, which throws light on Theodore Roose G. Wayman, to get a cardinal's hat for Arch velt's unsuccessful maneuvering T. Farrell's bishop John Ireland. For students interested in American journalism, on early Irish-American Paul J. Foik has a contribution papers, and there is a partial list of the Catholic press in the United in States a "Catholic Literary F. Meehan has written Volume IV; Thomas an informative and Marraro of New York, 1800-1840," History on "Rome and the Catholic Church in Eighteenth article Century Material of this kind is important to all American Magazines." teachers and scholars in the field of general United States history. A entitled has been section of the REVIEW, "Documents," from the field of church history. The selec devoted to source material

10

THE CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW?FORTY YEARS

of humble

range from sources for local parishes and the lives and priests, to letters and journals of men of distinction, In 1920 Guilday between prelates and governments. correspondence to materials in the in American issued a guide Church history of the Archdiocese the REVIEW and again of Westminster, 1675-1798, and scientific for a comprehensive pleaded

tions cover a wide

archives and again

Church." and for a "modern history of the American bibliography, the editor of Jefferson the first volume When Papers appeared, of official docu reiterated his plea for "critically edited compilations ments and ... the most of clerical and lay important private papers
leaders."

section entitled "Miscellany" was concerned with similar material in the later years of the REVIEW. in the issue of The miscellany to a long and favorable discus October, 1935, e.g., was devoted sion of Toynbee's In 1938 John E. Sexton of history. philosophy in this section on the religious policy of Massa published material A toward the Indians from 1760 to 1769; in 1944 thirty student letters ; and in pages were devoted to Bishop Spalding's eight some Acton letters. edited and published 1952, Paul Knaplund Volume XXXI contains valuable articles on Catholic (January, 1946) chusetts in the United States. known as "Notes and Comments" has section of the REVIEW into one of the most been developed interesting parts of the journal, one finds a constantly Here historians. at least for professional in the whole historical field dealing coverage of activities expanding and per with books, periodicals, obituaries, important gatherings, to Catholic history, and seeks sonal notes. The section is not limited and to articles in current periodicals to noteworthy to call attention The the activities The read by magazine. One finds reviewer book societies. of other historical of an historical journal often are more promptly of the scholars than the longer articles at the beginning remains an art, which only some acquire. Book reviewing reviews seizes in all historical the occasion archives

CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW have undoubtedly had the

same problem as their colleagues who direct the more secular

the instances when journals too many to ride his hobby, air his erudition, and rather than give the reader a clear to his prejudices, give expression once a book of what the book is really about. Moreover, summary has been assigned to a reviewer, the editor is virtually obligated to In this respect, the editors of the what he gets for publication. print

CARLWITTKE

11

journals. Book reviews, like articles, vary greatly in merit, but some times they give the reader a better taste of the special flavor of an historical journal than the more major articles.

First of all, in the case of the CATHOLIC HISTORICAL

in to call attention to a steady evolution it is significant REVIEW an increase the number and character of books reviewed; in the number of books by non-Catholic authors, and in books published outside the United States ; a growing practice to have signed reviews ; It is and a slow growth in the number of non-Catholic reviewers. to be expected that a religious attention journal should pay major to books on religion, the lives of religious the history of leaders, and Jew. The REVIEW, e.g., religious bodies, Catholic, Protestant, has been especially in books which deal with Puritanism interested here and in England. A nine-page review of Preserved Smith's The out numerous differences about facts and Age of Reformation pointed but recognized the work as a real contribution, "care interpretations, ful, scholarly and thought-provoking" October, [I (N.S.), 1921]. of books on carried appraisals the 1920's the REVIEW During a wide variety of subjects not directly related to religious topics, by Cheyney, Bradford, Lindsay Rogers, Golder, J. T. Adams, Dunning, U. B. Phillips, Bemis, Haskins, Knaplund, Alvord, Buck, Mcllwain, and many others who Lunt, Emerton, Morison, Beard, Schlesinger, historical scholarship. The belong to the galaxy of modern American books reviewed ranged all the way from ancient and Jewish history in Midpassage; Territorial to Beard's America Carter's Papers the United States; Mcllwain's studies in political theory ;Apthek of the Holmes-Pollock Slave Revolts; er's American Negro Letters; from 1860 and Sidney Warren's of free thought in America study to 1914. Inter-mixed with such appraisals of significant historical were reviews of Mother Mary Potter's The Brides of Christ, literature and notice of still another edition of the apparently imperishable Le voyage de Monsieur Perichon. reviewers would measure and comment upon the That Catholic amount of attention given to Catholicism and to the Church in works on the author's and discourse occasionally historians, by non-Catholic attitude on matters of theology and dogma, was to be expected. Rela that the nature and tively few, however, have specifically contended function of the papacy and the Church are such that they cannot . . . be judged by "purely human criteria and motives which apply to secular rulers" Solon J. Buck's Illinois in 1818 [XXVII, 100].

12 was

THE CATHOLICHISTORICAL REVIEW?FORTY YEARS

too little space to Catholic criticized for devoting influence, but the author was never charged with "intentional bias." Occasionally, as theological was aroused, reviewers referred to "the controversy unconscious authors" arrogance found in Protestant [XXXII, 439], or indulged in such unseemly denomina language about a Protestant as "Universalist tion as the reference to Universalists down quilts" and intemperate is as 379]. Such unrestrained language in a Catholic journal as the unfair tactics and gratuitous inappropriate comments of some non-Catholics, Catholic writers against which have lodged justifiable protests. By way of contrast, one may point to a reviewer from the Marist inWashington who calmly Seminary as opposed as those that since scholars hold viewpoints suggested [XXVI, of Catholicism and liberal Protestantism, it is folly to expect them to "interpret history in the same light or choose among a multitude of facts the same facts for special notice" [XXI, 198]. Reviews writ ten with in whatever invective, journal they appear, are frequently a pseudo-scholar, the ear-mark of and to brand an author according to his religious book. or philosophical position by no means disposes of his

of this nature do not preclude forthright reviewing. For Comments in January, 1937, a volume on The Scotch-Irish, reviewed example, comment the deserved that it was was properly disposed of with not to say infantile." To add that it was a "messy rehash "amateurish, tradition" added little to one's knowledge of the of the Protestant book. Croce's treatment of the Catholic Church was properly charac as "aloof, cold, but never insulting." The reaction of Fulton was Sheen to Harry Elmer Barnes' The Twilight of Christianity J. tactless selection of the miracle not unexpected and Fred M. Fling's ; at the wedding of Cana, to illustrate his principles of historical criti as blasphemous, the reviewer and cism, quite naturally impressed on to say that "the Gospels are not open to the provoked him to go terized A review of Sellery and Krey's critic" historical [VI, 525-27]. while calling atten Foundations Medieval Civilisation, of Western com of Catholicism, tion to errors from the viewpoint nevertheless, the authors for a genuine effort to deal objectively with the mended Church. mediaeval The number of reviews and deal with putation, The increasing. always scholarly, in recent years avoid religious dis seems to be critical, analysis, scholarly reviews of the late Richard Purcell, e.g., were J. and in good temper. Charles P. Bruehl's objective, which

CARLWITTKE review

13

of history emphasized of a book on the Marxian interpretation as the ultimate key the inadequacy of the economic theory of Marx to history, but recognized that the father of modern communism had stimulated "social research" and started "a happy reaction to other

Frank Tannenbaume constructions of history." equally arbitrary book on Mexico, which took sharp issue with the record of the Church in that country, was reviewed by a prominent official of the National his criticisms who considered Conference, fully Merle Curti's The Growth of American Thought, although justified. "written entirely from the rationalistic viewpoint," was, nevertheless, described as a very "useful, complete and original summary." Dr. had nothing but the highest praise for Thorndyke's Walsh History Catholic Welfare Science, and Theodore Maynard, ofMagic and Experimental although with Preserved Smith's thesis that "not disagreeing fundamentally faith but doubt has liberated and humanized the modern world," spoke the author favorably of his History ofModern Culture, and considered just." The reviewer of Latourette's History of the author as "unmistakably Protes Christianity correctly described . . . careful tant," . . . "but controlled by voluminous reading and on life." of the evidence," and "with a kindly outlook weighing Ellis an in America Albert Post's Popular regarded Freethought "moderate and excellent addition to historical literature on American public opinion, a painstaking, and wrote page review article of Canon thirty-one Stokes' three-volume Church and State in the United States in which he took issue on many points, without losing the scholar's even temper for the author's "general fairness." has not had one standard of appraisal for books by Books Catholic authors, and another for the work of non-Catholics. by fellow religionists have been roughly handled on many occasions In its first volume, there was a sharp review of in the REVIEW. an American text for use in Catholic the schools, in which history reviewer pointed out scores of factual errors. In a ten-page appraisal of Theodore Maynard's The Story of American in Volume XXVIII the reviewer expressed his irritation with the author's Catholicism, criticized frequent obiter dicta; questioned many of his conclusions; and poor documentation, his errors and "uncritical methods" and dismissed as a silly legend the claim that Jefferson wrote the Declara from Bellarmine's work. A review of Father tion of Independence Roemer's of the Church in the United Theodore States in history was equally sharp, and stressed not only errors XXXVI Volume and appreciation The REVIEW both

14

THE CATHOLICHISTORICAL REVIEW?FORTY YEARS

of fact and organization, but the "colorings of the author's own mind" ; his excessively "ultramontane tone," and "the emphasis on a peculiar American is taken to mean See which the loyalty to the Holy of Roman officialdom." Several reviewers took issue with omniscience Michael J. O'Brien, the indefatigable historiographer of the American Irish Historical and criticized his work as the uncritically Society, and antiquarian, but not filiopietistic product of a sincere genealogist a trained historian. A work on Freemasonry and the Anti-Christian Movement as "frankly polemic," and by a Jesuit was criticized "statements that seem to go beyond the testimony adduced." containing Hilaire Belloc's History of England was charged with errors of both fact and interpretation. A Life of Washington, written by a priest in 1915 received, perhaps, the as "unworthy dismissed of a serious in ignorance." review," "grotesquely puerile in style and unequalled The author was advised to make this his last book [III, 351]. Green

and published by Longmans most It was savage review.

This is the CATHOLIC HISTORICAL

REVIEW,

insofar as

an article so limited can do justice to a journal which now covers a span of two score years, and as it looks to a non-Catholic historian these who has used it on many occasions to good advantage. During has shown a steady growth the REVIEW in quality and forty years in the scope of its interest. It has reviewed significant books which overlooked by older and better known journals. It has in its field with such jour attained a stature comparable gradually d'histoire of Louvain, the Revue nals as the Revue eccl?siastique and several German and Austrian d'histoire de l'?glise de France, have been publications, it differs from them in many respects and has although an identity all its own. It has stimulated interest in, and developed standards of American Catholic historical scholar respect for, higher ship, and deserves a larger circulation and greater support than it has. It is an important historical journal which all historians, and especially in the special fields of cultural, those working and intellectual, religious Western history, Reserve cannot afford University to ignore.