Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-14

HIS HABITS OF WORK AND LIFE
EIom tia New York Graphic.


result of the experience of long years, Is
quite peculiar, and accounts for his success
in harmonizing those two conflicting eondl-
tions, compactness and comprehenslveness
He has two secretaries-a reference" secre-
tary and 4" writing" secretary. They do
the work. largely, while Mr.. Bancroft does
the thinking and furn hes the opinions.
When he commences pom new volume,
he decides first upon the period OF time
which it shall cover, its scope. and particu-
la- features, if any. This plan is put in
writing, and placed in the hands OF his ref
erence secretary, DR.. Frank Austin Scott,
gentleman of unusual qualifications for the
position, being proficient linguist, and from
many Years association with Mr.. Bancroft,
almost as familiar with history and the de
tails Of the work as Mr.. Bancroft himself.
Next, diary is taken, and under each date
are entered, with a book keepers precision,
all the occurrences OF that dag in every
corner of the globe that relate in any re
spect to the American republic. With each
record are references to the authority on
which the record is based If published, to
the volumes and pages if not. to the origi-
nal manuscripts which are filed away in Mr..
Bancroft's library. In the compilation of
this diary every existing work and document
and paper is consulted every history or
tradition of any reliability is carefully
cleaned. This work is done by Mr.. Scott,
Mr.. Bancroft, in the meantime, employing
himself in reading up on these events, sltt-
ing the chat from the wheat, detecting the
spurious, and debating to his writing sec
retary, Mr.. Weston, the suggestions that oc
cur to him and the opinions dedueed from
the study.
The dairy being finished, memorandum
book is taken and its pages divided into
classification for topics. This Is called the
topic book The classfications are not very
numerous, the heads being something as
follows - Washington, II" Army" ." Fl
nance" " Domestic Affairs" " Foreign
Affair" - Campaigns" " Congress,
etc. [ nder each of these heads is compiled
all the information contained in the diary
relating to each particular topic, 50 that, for
example. when Mr.. Bancroft wants to write
chapter on the finance Of the government
at the time of which he Is treating. he has
all the facts that can gained from every pos
sible source condensed and classified in their
chronological order; all histories in every
language are consulted all biographies,
records, essays, speeches and papers tran
scripts Of all existing public documents in
the archives of the American, English,
French and German governments. and also
all private papers and correspondence writ
ten at the time.
When this is completed by Mr.. Scotland
It takes months, sometimes, 10 exhaust
single topic Mr. Bancroft iamiliarizes him
self with the contents OF the memorandum
book, marking passages Of Importance,
making cross-reterences for his own conye-
nience, and indexing the events himself in
the order in which he intends 10 treat of
them. Then he dictates to his writing see
retary the text OF the volume, and, as chap
ter after chapter Is finished, it IS laid away
10 - season for time The matter i then
written and rewritten unit. 1t suits Mr..
| Bancroft sensitive taste W hen he i sat
isfei with the arrangement, the style and
completeness of chapter, it Is sent IL his
/ publishers The final manuscript i written
in copying-ink. and a copy taken in press
/ book. Mr Bancroft always has three proofs
in slips, IN stereotype and in foliO-and
continues to make alterations and additions
| till the presses are fairly running.
| Mr. Bancroft work compared with the
writings OF other authors, looks very small
a the result Of the labor OF lifetime, but
! this description OF hl- method will give the
reader an idea OF the vast amount OF study,
/ investigation and thought each volume rep
resents. 1t may be said that Mr. Bancroft was
born literally among books. His father was
Uniarian clergyman OF ripe scholarship
and literary tastes, and from his infancy the
associations of the historian have been more
intimate with books than with men. His
| habits of life are those Of the student, and
are methoical and regular a. the pnl-ations
Of machine
He has Away been an early riser, and for
20 years, or more, has been in the habit Of
working an hour or two before breakfast
Breakiasting at half past eight clock, he
goes into his library at half past nine o clock
and works regularly until three o'clock
with a short intermission for lunch. Then
he drops his manuscript and memoranda,
and, putting mark IN his thoughts, forget>
care and labor for the remainder Of the day.
Every pleasant afternoon, he can be seen
riding Black Elsie, his fayorite mare, on the
Seventh street drive, OF through some Of the
many beautiful parks that adOrn Washing
ton. Notwithstanding his age, Mr. Ban
croft is one Of the most graceful and yigor
Gus horsemen in the city. lie has kept up
this habit for many years, and during the
summers he has spent in this country he has
generally taken n aunt OF 300 or 400 hun
dred miles with Black Elsie as his compau-
ION He has ridden all over the scenes Of
the Revolution from Ticonderoga to the
field of the battle OF savannah, where Pu-
laski fell.
Mr. Bancroft is a good liver. and hi, din
ners are noted for richness Of yiands and the
rarity of his wines, but he IS temperate and
moderate in every way Here in Washing
ton he i the centre OF u rare literary coterie,
which includes some OF that most accom-
plished scholars and thinkers Of the land
lie has one of the most valuable and exten
siye private Libraries i'll the world, his house
on II street being literally packed with
books, pamphlets and papers. There are
about 10000 volumes in all, comprising
works in all languages, Of all eras, of al
branches Of literature and science, from hi
well -thumbed Homer to Diapers last. Mr.
Bancroft library is his own selection, anC
in no collection of the size are there 50 few
works that are obsolete or merely ornament
al. He is quite fastidious in regard to hi'
bindings, which are OF the richer materials
and in exquisite taste.
Among his papers he has transcripts o
all the archives Of every nation on the glObt
that has had any relation whatever will
American history. Most of them are il
their original language, being quite as con
yenient and more satisfactory TO Mr.. Ban
croft and his secretary than transations
- / l. m R,trf a.
! residence abroad-in France, Germany, Eng
land, Holland, and other countries, wher
he has always been permitted to examine
and make copies of any state papers desired
1 He has, also, the originals OF many i'm
G portant documents relating to Revolution
G ary affairs and the later history of our gov
: ernment There are several diaries of tn
, heroes of the Revolution, one of the mos
Z interesting being that Of - Mad ANTHONY
Wayne also the original and copies OF cor
respondence which took place betweel
prominent actors of Revolutionary times
7 These have been presented to Mr.. Bancroft
a from time to time One OF Mr.. Bancroft
: peculiarities is his habit of clipping news
q papers. lie is a great newspaper reader
+ and scarcely ever finishes one without find
: ing something iu its columns worthy of
place in his scrap-book. His cyclopedia
are mammoth collections of newspaper art
+ cles, which are pasted in between the leave
; under the topics to which they refer
} EcoNoMIzING on HIS OBITUARY 1t was
d very sad woman that came into our sanctuu
" the other day. Not to put too fine por
d on it, she wept. II am Mrs. Briggs, sh
If murmured, sadly The sub-editor said
1t was glad to know it, and inquired afte
IT Mr. Briggs "You don't seem to keep II
d run Of our eminent citizens much, she SAT-
J. with some asperity ''tor, you know,
E died, last Friday" The sub stammered OF
l. that he had indeed overlooked it THAT
C lust it, said the grief-stricken one. e