New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-07

49,, ,.o, them could be estimated There s,et was
John Mars "Bookkeepng md AN appendix fun Of valu.
airy OF c0nine!n about the Colonial tIa9e-lessons
gTafefully remembered wngm Department
ana account, re him There were Loekes Essay anu
Buiers Enaloey Their; Hse m from the OK,
f0fd pfess and Near them an Edinburgh qu.o; WIN
leaves often and thouGhtfnly turned Ferguson fy
on CivIl Societya little read bat when was
held in that day TO have gread deal Of genius ana me
OF q humane philosophy 10 the theory OF crimes and
punshments, there also. We're not Montesqueu and
essays close by its side do not know positively though
know that few years later be had read Anod ,
others recurring often, in books Wln ne Is o% 10
have read without feeling strong EGsI With 10 enSTavngs
facing tho ute-pagei young Pompey ieadnSt t no
arms Of his wife and children Caesar sinking under the
dagger which Bruus with averted head thrusts INTO s
bosom His English history was Rapin his rhetoric and
literature Rollin In four duOdecimos There was Cesar
" Engshed by Duncan and Horace by smart Ihcre
WAS Ponies Homer and Popes own poems and the specta
tor and swift whose simplicity he had early learned
quotes and whose DE- sop he loved to impesonate to
the great amusement of his brothers. And In most OF
these books hyleaf or tile tilepage, was written
Nahdnde Greenes in bold, round hand. which school
master might have envied but which was 10 lose seli
almost in a swfrunning hand when thoughts crowded
his pen and expresses booted and spurred waited TO con
vey his orders
But the time rapidly approached when he must
leave the peaceful scenes and studious leisure OF
domestic life, 10 take part in the great struggle Tor
freedom in which he afterward held such con-
spicuous place. The news of the battle OF LeXing-
ton which threw the colonies into a fermcnt, passed
quickly from mouth TO mouth in the little territory
of Rhode Island. The drum beat TO arms. IL was
nightfall when the tdings reached Greene IN his
rural home at Coventry, but he instantly mounted
his horse, hurried of to the alarm post, and early
in the morning was on his way to Boston, with the
military company to which he belonged. Although
private in the ranks and suffering from stiffness
in one of his knees which gave him a halt IN his
gait he was elected brigadier general of the Rhode
Island force which raised to cooperate with the
other colonies in the common defense.
From this time may be dated the commencement
of the public career which has so closely blended
the name of General Greene with the history OF
the Revolution. His letters to Washington at this
period show the intimate footing upon which he
lived with the commander They freely
discussed all the interests of the army, and all the
questions Of the time. The utmost confidence ex-
listed between the two generals. and in the prevail
ing sympathy of their opinions they found mutual
support. Upon the entrance of Hamilton into the
military family of Washington, Greene was strongly
attracted by the briliancy of his genius and the
fervOr of his patriotism. and the acquaintance thus
formed quickly rpcned into cordial friendship.
Their views of persons and things seldom differed.
Each found in the other the particular traits which
he most valued in himself On the part of Greene,
it was an intimacy almost of fond affection while
Hamilton elighted in the rare mental endowments
of his companion.
Tire volume closes with a description Of the en-
campmcnt of the army at Valley Forge, and the ar
rival of Baron Steuben, with his influence on the dis
cipline of the army m the course of the narrative
the principal events of the war, mp 10 that point,
are briefly touched upon, and placed in light TO eX-
hibt the character of Greene the greatest advant
age. Occasionally the style of the author betrays
dash of partisanshp, although he evidently strives
to prevent his ardent family affection and pride from
getting the better of his impartality The real ser
vices of General Greene in the of the Revolu
ton do not require the aid of controversy for their
support and to imagine that he free from every
error of Judgment is to mental infailibity
that does not belong TO human nature. In the COM
position of the volume. a practiccd and scholarly
hand is usually visible although in respect of pointed
and expressive dictiOn, il perhaps hardly comes up
to the vigorous felicity of Of the authors for
mer productions. The lack of simplicity is an Obvi-
GUS defect of the work it is sometimes ovcrlaid with
an excess of rhetorical embellishments the utterance
of personal feeling is often nopportune, and indeed,
superAuous and in the frequent literary illusions
fastdous sense might almose detect trace of pedan
try; but the dligent research, the sound historical
learning and the elaborate which it evinces to-
gether with its frequent animated and effective por-
tratures will insure ii a welcome place in the library
OF American history.