IN ITALY. to the workers in other lands, and occupied their place in the alliance for international knowledge and help in history. It is perhaps true to say that in the most essential and characteristic parts of our own national history we have less interest in France than in Germany ; but throughout many ages French and English history, both external and institutional, are bound together as closely as any two national histories can be ; and that which illustrates the one cannot but illustrate the other. English writers have long ago learned that there are other histories worth studying besides their own : German writers seem to have been late in learning that the Fatherland has a united and continuous history. France is at last showing that she recognises the fact that other lands have histories at all, and that the whole of medieval history is not a mere preparation for the dramatic glories of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. If she has somewhat to learn from her neighbours, surely we cannot afford to say that we have not much to learn from her ; much to hope for, and much to be grateful for, in the co-operation of her scholars. There are signs too of a harvest-and promises of cooperation in another field which for several centuries has had little community or sympathy with English students. We have all probably been surprised, pleased,—may I not say amused ?—by the consequences of the inaugural lecture of the Professor of International Law ; at the chorus of praise and harmony between Italian and English lawyers which followed the note struck by him in the mention of Albericus Gentilis. The very fact that Albericus Gentilis was almost forgotten in England and had scarcely been heard of before in Italy, only proves that there was a latent desire of recognition among the Italian literati with which we had scarcely credited them. Now a very great deal may be hoped for from an awakened spirit of this kind, more especially