Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-09-23
A Grnna Historical Work.

U,iory If me United S.a'es from nc Aborigi-
nal Times 10 he Present Day. By John
CLark Ei9pah. 4. M, Professor Of History
mi Bell,s- Lst'rss. H,aiana Asibury jiu-
persiiy. GO Pp Royal Oo'aro LAastra'si
riA Mqps. CaDis, Portraits and Diagrams.
sid only by subscription. Price $500
Jones Broi6ers d Co., Clnciana6, PhitadsF-
phis all Chicago.
Truly comprehensive si.le, a subject vas,
enough for the mnst daring genius. History
il said to be Philosophy, teaching by ex-
anple. Bni in this work Professor RidPath
has treated NJ 70 \ nnioa OF the two as rare rs
il Is charming. While the narrative ofegcns
is the main burden Of the work, the author
occasionally takes the chair judicial and iavoss
ms with his views of hidden causes and tro
seonence of eseuts. We fancy that we can
sometimes detecs the trained journalist as well
as the his,orisn; hul whether the author has
ever served 10 onr ranks or not, be is altogeth-
er too mnch OF journalist 90 overload DIS
pages with diluted sermons
To coudeuse American History into ono
I volume which shall be at once comprehensive
and convenient. emitting TO material fact aud
vet avoiding tsliousnoss, is the task the author
/ sppears 70 have set for himself; and il must
be admitted that be has done It well. lt is
roally wonderful what an array Of fact and
comments can be condensed into a single par
aqraph. Take as an instance the following
On the character Of the early settlers u
! America;
..Theso people. whose ancestors hal os'o
driven into exile by the exactions Of European
I governments saa the bigotry Of ecclesiastical
mower. had become the rghtful proprietors OF
! the Now World. They had fairly won i
from savage man end savage nature.--
! They had subluel Il anl built Stites within
it. They owned it by all the claims OF sctnai
possession +; by toll and trial by The ordeal
Of suffering; by poril. pFivaiion, and hard
| shin; by tho baptism OF sorrow ant the shed
/ ding Of blood. No wonder that patriotism
! was the child Of such travail and discipline
! No wonder that the men who from mountain
and sky and river, from orchard and valley
/ and forest, from tie memories OF the past, mo
aspirations Of the present and the hopes ol The
| future. had drank in the spirit OF Liberty un-
iii their souls were peryadcd with her sublime
essence-were now ready when the iron heel
Of oppression was set upon their cherished
rights. 10 draw the yiadiclye sword oven 4
gainst the venerable monarchy Of England
The pleasing style Of the writer sustalns
ones interest 10 the close The great difficulty
with most histories Of America thus far has
been that they ware either bulky volumes
made 40 Of dissertations on men and authoEi-
ties or mere school textbooks made 10 be Ia
bored through rather than read and enjoyed. -
The work avoids both extremes and supplies
a want long fe!t
An ardent patriotism yiyiiics every page
Particularly does this appear in bis closing
review. which is sn admirable summary ~
the prcsen, condition and prospects of tho
United States.
The mechanical execution Of the work
! leaves nothing to be desired. Three features
are worthy Of special communication: the to-
geographical diagrams. Of which there arc
some iiny in tho book, exhibiting the vicinity
of every important event in our history tho
coored maps which show the political division
Of the country a, various dates, and the chro-
biological charts which present at a glance she
contemporary events Of each era.
Tue publishers have, IN the makeup OF Tho
book, illustrated the perfection TO which The
art Of book making has attained Il - an
exceedingly able and valuable work. and
should be read and studied by every citizen
who you'd be informed of the history and
greatness Of bis coualry aud bis duties To-
wards il.