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SOME CRITICAL OPINIONS.
THE TIMES:-
This [ Hampshire , Vol. I.] is the first volume of the magnificent Victoria History of the Counties of England , of which we gave a preliminary account a few months ago. Of some 530 pages, 250, or nearly half, are occupied by natural history, a subject to which great prominence is given in the present undertaking. Then follow chapters on 'Early Man,' on 'Romano-British Remains', on 'Silchester,' and on 'Anglo-Saxon Remains.' Then we emerge from natural history and archaeology into history proper, with three instructive, authoritative and learned sections from the pen of Mr. J. Horace Round on 'The Hampshire Domesday and the Winchester Survey,' the text of the former document being given in full. 'Silchester has no history,' says Mr. F. Haverfield, the author of the chapter on 'Romano-British Remains,' but it has abundance of archaeological interest, and of course the study of its remains forms an important element in any adequate history of the county; but we generally judge a county history by its treatment of documents and records, and though in the present volume we have only Mr. Round's final chapters to enable us to judge it from this point of view, we may say at once that the standard of treatment is adequate and scholarly.
THE STANDARD:-
In this series, and in every volume of it, the foremost scholars of the land in science, history, and archaeology have collaborated, and the result, so far, is quite memorable, for we are already in possession of a group of works of reference of abiding significance, permanent value, and unimpeachable authority. The broad ruling idea of the scheme is to record the annals of each county in detail, and from every point of view, from the earliest times to the crowded life of today . It is enough to recognized the solid learning and broad philosophic outlook which mark them. They are written in every case by men of established reputation in scholarship and science, and the most admirable feature of the whole series is, perhaps, the manner in which all are working with diligence and restraint to a common end . The merit of this series is that the methods of the best and most learned of the old county annalists are applied with praise-worthy impartiality to every portion of the United Kingdom . The great results of modern scientific research have been pressed into the task at every turn of the work, and the outcome of it all is that these books promise to hold their authority as works of reference all through the Twentieth Century.
THE MORNING POST:-
In the first volume of Derbyshire . Mr. H. A. Bemrose refers among other noteworthy matters to the wonderful caverns that form so peculiar a feature of the county . These caverns, with their beautiful stalactites and mysterious underground waters and evidences of the writers who deal with the history of the county and its natural love . There is still greater interest in "the first trace of pictorial art yet discovered in Great Britain." This is described by Mr. John Ward as having been obtained from a mass of deposits in Robin Hood's Cave . Much information is afforded by Dr. F. Haverfield on the Romano-British remains with which the county is well supplied. The history of Durham is influenced by the life of St. Cuthbert . Those who require details of the holy man's career may reasonably anticipate that they will be set forth in a future volume . We are brought into touch with the ancient conditions of Durham by "The Bolden Book," on which a well-reasoned commentary, full of learning and ingenious deduction, is provided by Dr. G. T. Lapsley, of Harvard . The history of education in the Bishopric, and the account of past and present schools, furnished by Mr. A. F. Leach, is an excellent addition to the volume, which like others in the series, is well supplied with illustrations and maps. Both the books noticed afford further indication of the thoroughness with which this important work is being carried out.
THE ATHENAEUM:-
The print, paper, plates, and general style leave nothing to be desired. Unlike any other county histories in which generally the entire labour of collecting materials, of writing and of publication is undertaken by a single writer, the Victoria Histories are intended to be produced by the cooperation of many authors under the direction of responsible editors. The advantages of this plan are patent, and are well illustrated in the volume before us. The contributors are all men who, having made a special study of the subjects upon which they have written, can be regarded as trustworthy authorities upon them. Moreover, in the choice of these writers the editor has not hesitated to avail himself of the advice of the most eminent authorities.
THE GUARDIAN:-
Not only are the illustrations of this volume [ Hampshire , Vol. I.] thoroughly good and numerous, but the maps are uncommon and exceptionally useful. There are two geological maps on a special plan; a botanical map, dividing the county into definite areas corresponding to the letterpress; a Roman map, showing every station, villa, pavement, or field, as well as the Roman road system; a Domesday map, marking by coloured lines beneath the names the manors that pertained to the Church, to the Crown, and to the great lay-tenant Hugh de Port; and smaller conjectural maps of Hampshire in the Pleistocene and in the Neolithic and Bronze ages.
THE SPECTATOR:-
In reviewing such a monumental and varied work as this it is impossible even to give a complete list of the contributors. But we may safely say that the names of all carry weight for local or general knowledge, and that work done is even better than might be expected. No finer addition could be made to a country house library.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH:-
The task of compiling it, and gathering in from all sources material, historic, genealogical, archaeological, and scientific, that go to the making of a complete and all-comprehensive national survey, is evidently a labour of love with those who have undertaken it, and, from what has already been seen of the outcome of their efforts, the result, when the word 'finis' comes to crown these efforts, should be valuable in the highest degree. By gradual stages the work is unfolding itself, and before us, as a very tangible evidence of the progress that is being made with the series, les the first of four volumes that are to deal exhaustively with the county of Worcester.
THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN:-
Each fresh installment of this monumental work increases our admiration for its editors and publishers.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH:-
Of the superb and comprehensive series of County Histories two fresh installments have just appeared. Magnificently got up, beautifully illustrated, edited and annotated with scholarly care and discretion, they are worthy in every respect of the able band of historians, antiquarians, and scientists who are associated with this undertaking. The only way in which a comprehensive county history can be written in these days is by the combination of scholars such as are cooperating in the production of the Victoria Series .
THE FIELD:-
Each step towards the fulfillment of the great scheme of the Victoria History cannot but be regarded with satisfaction, insomuch as the several volumes as they appear are invaluable additions to a library of reference.
THE ATHENAEUM:-
There are few matters connected with bookmaking in which there has been so great an advance in the last quarter of a century, or even in the last decade, as in that of cartography. The latest methods have been so happily used for the maps of this volume [ Warwick , Vol. I.], and so much care has been taken to secure their accuracy, that we must draw particular attention to their number, merits, and particular usefulness.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH:-
We have had many different kinds of county histories and similar topographical works, but there has never before been anything so thoroughly comprehensive as this great undertaking, on these fresh installments of which the general editor, Mr. William Page, F.S.A., the very notable advisory council, the representative county committees, the publishers - and above all the subscribers - are to be heartily congratulated.
