The Portland daily press., 1868-06-27
The His,oricaI Magazine.

This valuable periodical, now in its twelfth
year, was commenced in Boston in 1857 and
the next year transferred to New York, where
it was supposed it would have wider circu-
lation and meet the wants of larger commu-
nifty. At the time its publication was began,
desire was felt among historical students to
have medium of communication which
would furnish the proceedings of various his
torical societies, collect scattered notices of
historical and general interest, and have de-
partment of "Notes and Queries" in imita-
ton of an excellent work in England, by
which important facts were preserved and his
toric and literary doubts proposed and solved.
The work had immediate success and its elev-
mass of interesting and valuable information,
collected from an infinite variety of sources,
which but for this timely publication would
have been wasted or lost
The preservation, in permanent form, of
the doings of our numerous historical societies,
the critical notices of historical works, and
the rich and miscellaneous suggestions and
facts collected in its Notes and Queries, have
not only spread abroad a taste for historical
pursuits, but have been the means of commu-
nicating very valuable information and en-
couraging spirit of inquiry and investiga-
ton which has made the past speak to us
living language, and laid open the obscure
sources of our history.
The work has been ably conducted, but new
err more so than in the hands of its present
editor, Mr.. Henry b. Dawson of Morrisania,
New York. He yields trenchant pen, is a
learned historical scholar, and fearless and in
dependent 10 his criticisms and treatment of
every subject which occupies his attention.
And although we have sometimes thought
that he has been more severe than the occa-
sion required, yet we cannot but admire the
sacred regard to justice which will make no
compromise with error or falsehood under how
ever respectable form it may appear. He
might properly adopt the motto of the Edin-
burgh Review, "Jude1 dan,natasr cum nocenS db-
solvitur.'' ~
M. Dawson has labored very hard and with
insufficient compensation on this important
work. Historical students and all lovers of
historical investigation ought to sustain it
He ought to receive remuneration common
surate with the ability and value of his pub
LEGATION and his own high qualifications for
his Office. In Maine especially, ought he to
receive a liberal patronage, for he opens his
pages freely for the discussion of subjects
relating TO our State. He seeks communica-
tions from our enquirers and scholars, and
shows an evident desire to give full develop
ment to the rich materials of our annals; no
State has earlier or richer. In the March num-
Der of the magazine which is now before me
find four articles from Maine scholars and
scarcely number appears that has not one
or more communications on subjects rela-
ting to he" history, biography statistic
The March number is thoroughly filled with
articles, discussions and notices deeply inter-
estng, not only to historical students but to
general readers. Some go to the very foun-
dation OF our history. We hope that our
people will not be SO much engrossed by the
material pursuits of life as to neglect those
of an Intellectual and moral interest, and
that they will give encouragement to one
who is laboring so efficiently and ably, to adj
vance the cause of historical knowledge over
the broad domain of our country. W.