Social Thought 185

Political thought should, one supposes, include the im-
perialism of the later nineteenth century*. Koebner and
Schmidt help to explain the concept by explaining the word
and making history out of semantics.1163 Thornton, who to
the scholar's buckler adds the lance of true wit, analyses the
passionate defenders and attackers who gathered around the
whole idea.1164 Milner was a sufficiently classical example of
the intellectual who, in spite of his bodily insufficiencies, wishes
to be a man of action: hence his imperialism. Stokes discusses
the peculiar form which the concept took in that overestimated
mind; Halperin, on the same theme, is much too kind.1165

(B) SOCIAL THOUGHT

Ferguson's book (n. 1099) k supplemented by McConica's
which describes the part played by humanist writers in the
social and political renewal of the commonweal which was
associated with the Reformation.1166 This study's importance
is not much affected by the author's overestimation of the
intellectuals and in particular of Erasmus. Less original is
Caspari's treatment of some familiar figures as makers of a
humanistic programme of education.1117 Originality cannot
be denied to Esler who seeks to explain Elizabethan intellectual
and cultural conflicts by means of the modern conflict of the
generations; it is doubtful whether there is anything in this,
but the author's habitual inaccuracy as to fact and inference

n«3 Richard Koebner and Helmut D. Schmidt, Imperialism; the st&y

and significance of apolitical word, i8g> — xg6a. CUP: 1964- Pp. xxv,

432. Rev: EHR 81, 1270*.
11M A. P. Thornton, The Imperial Idea and Us Enemies. L: Macraillan:

1959- **P- *iv5 370. Rev: EHR 75, 549f-
llf*Eric T. Stokes, 'Milnerism', HJ 5 (1962), 47-60. - Vladimir

Halpc*rin, Lord Milner and the Empire: the evolution of British £m-

perialism. L: Odham; n.d. Pp. 256 See also n. 694.
llf8 James K. McGonica, English Humanists and Reformation Politics*

O: Clarendon: 1965. Pp* xii, 340. Rev: EHR 82, 6o8£; HJ 10,

I37f.; Hist 52, 77*".
n*7 Fritz Caspari, Humanism and the Social Order in Tv&r EngLnvL

Chicago: U of Chicago P: 1954. Pp, ix, 293. Rev: EHR 70,481^