+ Critic. 48: 382. Ap. ’06. 260w. + Spec. 96: sup. 1016. Je. 30, ’06. 140w.
Dudden, F. Holmes. Gregory the Great: his place in history and thought. 2v. *$10. Longmans.
A biography which portrays “distinctly the Gregory of his own time.” (Lond. Times.) The sketch follows a three-fold division: (1) a detailed history of the life of Pope Gregory the Great; (2) a systematic exposition of Gregory’s theological opinions; (3) an account of the political, social and religious characterization of the Gregorian age. “Mr. Dudden has fairly faced his difficult task, and his industry has been equal to his courage. The book rests upon a thorough analysis of the original sources to which, by the way, an admirable index serves as guide, whether one use the narrative or not. On the other hand, modern authorities, unfortunately, have been almost entirely ignored.” (Lond. Times.)
“His book is a solid piece of genuine historical work which bears witness to conscientious and laborious research. So thorough is his method that he scarcely leaves room for a future writer to add anything to what will be henceforth the standard work on the subject.”
+ + + Acad. 70: 137. F. 10, ’06. 950w.
“It rests everywhere sanely and safely on a personal study of the sources, guided and corrected by a wide knowledge of the researches of modern scholars.” George L. Burr.
+ + Am. Hist. R. 11: 635. Ap. ’06. 1100w.
“Mr. Dudden must be congratulated upon the ample and well-devised scheme of his work. He cannot be congratulated upon his omission of all reference to the work of other scholars. In the more general field of thought and theology of the age Mr. Dudden fails, if at all, in completeness. He does not take a wide enough sweep. Gregory’s mental peculiarities are treated too much as isolated phenomena. It seems ungracious to dwell so much upon what is absent from so laborious, honest and interesting a book. Had Mr. Dudden allowed himself more time and more liberty of judgment it would have been fully successful.” E. H. Watson.
+ – Eng. Hist. R. 21: 760. O. ’06. 1560w.