The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-21

tation as it cam but let us have no ninety odd
volumes Of flabby rhetoric handed down TO the
future as our history. We have nohotlon that
any one but Mr. Bancroft supposes tbat what
he has called a History of tie United States"
answers TO its title Sbut the very name may do
harm. Send him away at once. We are in
favor of the appointment. Let him. write up
the Schleswig- -Holstein history. Let us see
how the Schleswigs can stand it, This might
prove interesting as showing the comparative
endurance of nations on either side the Allan
tc Moreover, we believe Mr.. Bancroft would
be well fitted for the place in many respects.
His Americanism is OF positive type, as the
world saw by the lecture he read to the Euro
pean powers some time ago in his eulogy on
MIR. Lincoln. He was then considered by the
Austrian Minister to have insulted the Aus
trian Emperor by his allusion to Max in
Mexico; and this would be quite feather in
his cap in Prussia. Could anything more
commend man to Bismark than to have
insulted the enemy of his masters Mr..
Bancroft is a scholar also. He has trans
lated Hereen, and would quite amaze lite
rary Germany by the multitude of words he
could put forth on classical subjects without
impertinently intruding any thoughts Of his
own.
We have other historians that we would be
happy to spare, and would desire the Govern
ment to consider their claims with regard to
tant the better. There is Abbott. This
gentleman, it should be remembered, lately
had conversation with the Emperor of France
"a remarkable fact, the significance Of which
seems not to be properly appreciated by the
country. Victor Emanuel and Count Cavour
had conversations with the Emperor. Soon
after the world saw the accomplishment of
Italian unity. Bismark talks with Napoleon
at BiarritZ, and the result we have seen in
united Germany. There can be no question
that Abbott's conversation with the Emperor
will be followed, sooner or later, by the COM
plete reconstruction of this Union, and we
move for his reward in advance. We are
astonished that he was not the first man named
to succeed Motley-a historian also, but not to
be compared to Abbott. Mr.. Abbott has read
Coxe's ''History of the House of Austria" as
we know, for he has rewritten it in a style
likely to make it ineligible to those interest
ing subjects of daily advertisement, 'gentle-
men and ladies whose education has beer
neglected" This should peculiarly fit him
for the place, and the place, perhaps, would
keep him so busy that he would no more
bother his brains with history. Send him by
all means.
We would also nominate for residence
\ abroad the irrepressible Parton, whose his
| tories take the form of biography. Parto1
| has written much-threatens to write more
| and consequently no man is safe while he
remains in the country. He wrote our bio
! graphy-from what authorities we cannot say
! We have never recited the events of our life
| to any one; but of course wonderful versions
| of them are current in the mouths of all thu
Bohemians, and from the drip and drivel o
| Bohemian tongues Parton evidently made on
his story. He has the notion, like Docto
Johnson's friend, that he must live; and no
| to argue that point with him, we hope Govern
ment may consider our suggestion and Civ,
him the chance to live abroad. Thus Bancroft
Abbott, and Parton might some day meet anC
dine in Swiss inn, and, like the patriots resi-
dent at Botany Bay, congratulate one another
upon having left their country for their coun
! try's good. Cicero assures us that the study
of philosophy will teach us how to die, bu
there is no hope that such study will eve
teach these gentlemen any lesson so useful tt
American literature. Hence appointments Il
foreign missions afford the only chance to b.
rid of them, and we urge an early action. w
would suggest one more literary appointment
When all these. historians are safely in places
send McCracken to tell us what they find t
grumble at.