The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-10-19
LITERARY NOTICES.

4 POPULAR HsToRY.- History of the
United States from the Aboriginal
Times to the Present Era By John
Clark Ridpath, A N Professor Of
History and Belies-Lsttres, Indiana
Asbury University. Royal Octave.
Illustrated with Maps, Charts, Por-
traits and DIAGRAMS. Sold only by
subscription. Price $500. Jones
Brothers & Co, Cincinnati; Memphis
aud Atlanta.
In Its clear and racy style, in its sum
mary of ell she facts in cOnVenien space,
in the neat and attractive binding and
make Of the volume and the maps and
charts which aid the exploitation of the
text. in shert in all respects which make.
a good book, this work must take sh6
highest rank.
What We particularly admire is the
able manner in which the writer closes
the history of the several men and colo
niss with short and "meaty" paragraphs,
in analysis of character and motives.
As an instance, how much more clearly
and toreibly, is the condition of the colo
nles at the beginning of the revolution,
set forth IN this briet extract than in the
ordinary lengthy dissertations on The
subject.
Such were the American colonies
such the people whose budding nation
/ Rllty was uoW to be exposed to the blasts
OF war. These peerle, whose ancestors
! had been driven into exile by the exac-
tiORs of European Governments and the
/ gotry of ecsresiastical power, had
! become the rightful prOprietors of the
New World. FheY had fairly won it
/ from savage man and savage ature
they had subdued it and built States
within it; they owned it all by the
claims of actual possess ion by toll and
/ trial; by the ord al of suffering by
/ perl, pFiYation, and hardship By the
| baptism Of sorrsH and the shedding OF
/ blood No wonder tAat patriotism was
the child Of such travail and discipline
/ Nc wonder that the men who from
mountain and sky esd river, from orch
ard and valley and forest, IRON the mem
ories of the past, the aspirations of the
present and hopes of the future, had
drank IN this spirit Of Liberty, until tn If
souls were perYaded with her sublims
essence were now ready when the iron
| heel of oppression was set upon their
cherished rights, to draw the vindictivs
sword even against the venerable mon
archy Of England"
The heroic explorers, the brave old
founders of American CommonweaIths.
the warriors and Statesmen Of the fsevo-
luton, the adoption of our Constitution
and the growth of Z mighty nation un-
der it, surely these are themes worthy
the pen of genius. While the work
shows am pier esearch and liberality of
sentiment which sees the greatness of
the whole country, the hand and brain
of the philosophical historian ars mani
fest throughout and every page gows
with an ardent patriotism.
The work is adorned with portraits OF
all ihs principal men IN eur history. top
ographical diagrams showing the vicin-
ity of all important b tiles, maps illu--I
trsting she condition of the country from
time to time, and chronological charts
which show at glance the connection
of contemporary men and events 1t is
elegantly printed on fine calendered paper
and handsomely aud su bstantially bound
Tns Publishers have, in the makeup
of the book. illustrated the perfection
to which the art Of book making has at
tanned. Altogether an exceedingly able
aud Yalnablok work. it should be read and
studied BY every citizen ho would be
informed Of the history and greatness of
his country and his duty towards IT,