Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-02-16
DRAPER'S HISTORY OF THE
CIVIL VAR

CIvlA AM
The late American civil war does not
lack for historians or those wo undertake
to write about u great struggle. A his
torian to be perfectly reliable should be
perfectly impartial-should give just such
weight and Importance to all his facts and
to ali the individual actors on each side of
the conflict. He must be unbisased to-
wards the men or the motives of either
party. This is impossible for human ma
to do unless sufficiently removed by time
and place from the scene to look on each
side with equal favor or equal Indifference.
Up to this time in our judgment non
has written more impartially or more
fairly than of the late civil conflict than
John w. Draper, NJ. d., J.. L. D., of
New York. His history is now complete
in three large octave volumes. from the
press of Harper and Brothers. The me-
chanical execution of the work is all that
can be desired-fne paper, large open
type and substantial binding. Maps and
drawings are i~nterspersed sufficient for all
needful illumination.
DIR. Draper is a thorough read scholar,
and brings to his work a comprehensive
mind, philosophical in its habits ofthought,
and we'll stored with varied information.
He is a master of the rhetorical art, and
conducts his reader delightfully."- along the
course of events, by the purity, simplicity,
and attractiveness of his style. 1t is a
very readable history-He never lets the
reader tire for want of varied knowledge
and fresh information. Being a full man
he is ever pouring the stores of his own
knowledge above and beyond the necessi-
ties of a connected discourse. This is one
of the excellencies of his history.
DIR. Draper belongs to the same school of
philosophers with Mr.. Buckle, whose work
on Civilization is we'll known to scholars
of English History. He believes that the
character of a people is greatly affected
by their physical surroundings, soil, see
merry, climate and peculiar institutions.
He attempts to account for the difference
between tee people of the North and the
South in temperament, spirit and belief,
largely from their physical causes and in
Auences. He enters largely into an ex-
position of these principles. These things
usually escape the knowledge or the no.
tice of most of our historians. II is fea-
ture of his history is peculiarly interesting.
1t may be that the author claims too much
influence for these causes, but that they
have a marked effect in moulding a peo-
Plies character, habits of thinking, feeling
and acting must be admitted.
Many will concur with the author of
these stately volumes, in the opinion that
both sections of the country were equally
to blame for the war. He warns New
England and affectionately advises the
South. He evidently has quite as much
sympathy for the South as for the North,
and probably a great deal more. Yet he
endeavors to hold all even balance and to
do ample justice to both parties to the
struggle. From this fact the book will
not be so popular for a few years as it will
be halfa century hence. Strong parti-
zans of either side who want but lauda-
ton for their party measures will not be
admirers of the work, ~ their passions
have had time to cool off. This could not
be expected.
On the whole we pronounce it an excel
lent history, valuable for its candid state
ments of facts, its general truthfulness, its
varied learning. its fullness of information
and its charming style. We would have
been better pleased with the work and
with tie autLor, ifthcre had been a fuller
and more frequent recognition of an over
whelming and experimenting Providence,
in the current and cause of national and
individual history.
THE LITERARY WoRLD.-This Month
ly is published at Boston by S. r. Croker
who is also the editor. 1t contains choice
readings from the best new books, and
critical Reviews. An individual of liter
airy taste can find in this periodical a great
deal of valuable information respecting
new books, standard publications in this
or other countries. and rare works on Sci
ence or Art.
Address the publisher at 50 Broomfeld
st. Boston, Mass, and secure a specimen
copy. 1t is only so cents a year.
CHASE AND STUART's CLASSICAL Sc
RIEs, Eldredge and Brother.
The publishers of this classical series
claim for it peculiar merits. Attention is
called to the following particulars:
The purity of the texts; the clearness
and conciseness of the rules; the beauty