St. Mary's beacon., 1858-09-16
LEONARD TOWN, MD, THURsDl

The great research Of If. Bancroft i ner-
haps first evident to one who caref,,lIv vsads
his volume: the delving into old records: re-
cords not carefully treasured up a che at,hivee
Of state Or the heir looms uf nn adninissra-
ton, but shrown aside into Iumber-rooms.
existing IN tattered correspondence, or only
IN csac1Ee. traditions scattered over . coun-
Cry seaching thousands Of miles; or hidden IN
the closet of any cne Of twenty cabinets
a0fUAd. whuW EFvaccessQR some centuries ago,
ssssssed % colUntM Anhegis43 disiecta membrh
cnnlided to families now perhaps extinct; all
this curiously noted and studied; piece of
information gathered here; q hint from this
speech; . word from that document; . clue
tpand yondeT; q ray Of light detected there;
volumes ransacked for single name; Jour
neys travelled to verify date; correspon-
ces carried on 70 ascertain one circumstance
these mIst be evident to the most casual OBJ
server. And then the skill with which the
kernel has been extracted from the chat; the
penetrating mind which, out Of q mass of
material 50 incongrnous, has instantly dis
covered what tended to elucidate It's pur-
pose; the peculiar ability for gathering from
- many unlikely and distinct quarters what
would converge upon single pOint, is also
most remarkable. Continuous application is
trait of the mere annalist; but the ability
to extract the gist of q matter, to perceive
the use 10 DC made Of fact, to discover the
growth of an opinion, the origin of party,
the expansion Of a sentiment by the light Of
some apparently Indifferent or insignificant
circumstance, this Is characteristic that be-
belongs to the historian alone.
The ardor which Mr.. Bancroft brings TO
his work is one Of his moSt prominent com
mendat;ons. He appreciates its importance
to bis country and to the race; he pcrceives
its grandeur, and his is a mind susceptible 10
impressions of Su6limity and beauty in no
ordinary degree. He takes in the entire
grasp of his subject, its infinite relations TO
the past and the futuee; he forcsees how It
may affect the ultimate destiny Of man. He
is himself full of lofty thought; while 80 prac-
tical as to neglect nc detail, he is yet imbued
with'a belief in the pFtsV;ts of the race, and =
noble sympathy with,u.sfy true. reform; be.
shares the hopes and lIoAfations that were and
are the redeeming trai siujthe splendid French
idezlists, and fancies t.- those nobIest aspifa-
tons may be realised in America proEoundly
impressed with these ideas, ne devotes fo his
task at once far-seeing vision and ) fevora
which fit him to do ample justice 9 50 grand
theme
! he may at times trace a. tions
and dehuee hls cxsncf
premises; he does occasionail Iaaszen-'
cy to the visionary character u g . 81 result
of too great fundncss for the idea3 but this
is at times to 5e expected; and he maEifests
but few instances Of biassed Judgment His
opinions are, like those of All mankisds some
tunes influenced by his wishes OF his hncies;
but, few Of his temperament are 50 calm and
cquable as he; few who ardently engage in
cause can yet be 30 impartiaI--be 30 Just TO
its opponents. He has but little bitterness -
ccpt for the foes Of right: he indeed, sonieI
makes scarcely that allowance for the ffA ~
Of human nature that we expect from -
losophcr; but his indignation Is SO geneR( =.
that one is apt to be caught up in it befk
he is aware. q
With all these characteristics Of mind, Mr..
Bancroft combines the splendid talents that
give his history its peculiar fascination. He
is eloquent and rhetorical in the last degree;
he sees the poctical side Of his subject, and at
intervals presents it in glowing language to
the apprehension Of his readers; yet his ina
gerry is not Extensively nor too frequently
introduced; his embellishments arc reserved
for telling occasions; but when these arrive,
AFTER by lucid expositions and dispassionate
narrative, by cogent reasoning and an indis-
putable array of facts, he has brought your
mind into a proper state for following his,
he launches out into strains Of bold and ami
mated defamation that to most readers are
irresistible.
The grand and epic unity of his subject,
evolved only by him, from che fragmentary
history Of dozen scattered colonies, its gradu-
al development. the care with which he has
traced kindred in feeling if not always
in race, the peans he chants after a tri-
umph OF justice, the tribute he pays to tai
ent and virtue wherever found, his earnest
love for truth, his profound impression of
the right Of man to freedom, his noble aspir-
atoms, his generous sympathy with the OPP
pressed, his manly indignation at wrong; his
fervid patriotisIn and kindlng interest when
ever his country is particularly concerned;
bis largeneSs of soul, that takes in all man
kind; his eye for the picturesque, evinced in
exquisite descriptions Of natural scenery; his
delicate perceptions of musical beauty, bespo-
ken by the measured elegance Of his style, and
the lofty eloquence with which he rises at
times almcst into the sphere Of the poet, all in-
dicate that George Bancroft has not mistaken
his vocatiUn-all &c him most admirably for
the task Of relating to his countTymen and the
world now living, as well rs To posterity, the
history Of the republic whose existence, whose
growth, whose magnitude. and whose future
are alike the admiration aud the mystery of
modern times.