MODERN EUROPE, 1815-1899 By W. ALISON PHILLIPS, M.A., formerly Senior Scholar of St. John’s College, Oxford. Forming Volume VIII. of PERIODS OF EUROPEAN HISTORY. ‘An exceedingly difficult task has been accomplished, we may say without hesitation, to admiration. We have read the book with the keenest and quite unflagging enjoyment, and we welcome it as one of the very best histories that have been written within the last few years.’—_Guardian._ ‘It has achieved, with a remarkable success, the difficult task of compressing into a compact space the long history of a time of extraordinary complications and entanglements; but—much more important—it has never lost vigour and interest throughout the whole survey.... The completeness of the book is really extraordinary.... The book is by far the best and handiest account of the international politics of the nineteenth century that we possess.... Should give Mr. Alison Phillips distinct rank among historians of the day.’—_Literature._ ‘Altogether, the book offers a most luminous and quite adequate treatment of its subject, and makes a worthy conclusion of a Series that well deserves to be popular.’—_Glasgow Herald._ ‘He presents his materials with model clearness and arrangement, and with a sound literary style, which will make the book attractive to the general reader as well as useful to the student.’—_Scotsman._ ‘Mr. Phillips shows decided literary power in the handling of a not too manageable period, and few readers with any appreciation of the march of history, having once commenced the book, will be content to lay it aside until the last page is reached.’—_Manchester Guardian._ ‘This thoughtful volume will give the intelligent reader both profit and pleasure.’—_Spectator._ THE CLOSE OF THE MIDDLE AGES 1272-1494 BY R. LODGE, M.A. PROFESSOR OF HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH _PERIOD III_ RIVINGTONS _34 KING STREET, COVENT GARDEN_ LONDON 1906 _Third Edition. Fourth Impression_ PREFACE