The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-11-08

Times to the Present Day. BY John Glar'
Ridpath, A. NJ, Professor of History and Be
| 1es-Lettres, Indiana Asbury University, Roya
| Octave. Illustrated with Maps, Charts, Por
traits and Diagrams gs M Sold only by subseT1r
/ Cincinnati, Memphis and Atlanta.
This is indeed a valuable book, on,
that win give all our people proper idea
of the growth and character of our ma
tion and its free institutions.
From the first voyage of the Mortimer
to the coasts of Labrador and Massachu
sets, to the opening of the Centennia
Exposition at Philadelphia; from tn,
birth of Columbus to the admission o.
Colorado as the Centennial State, thu
stream of narration flows on in a smooth
current, with fitting comments and suf
ficent explanation, every page enliyened
by genius and glowing with an ardent
patriotism.
Here is the whole History and charac
ter of one of our most noted pioneers
gathered from his autobiography and
half a dozen other works, but condensed
to one brief pithy paragraph:
''The new President, though not yet
thirty years of age, was p veteran in
every kind of valuable human expert
ence. Born an Englishman; trained as
a soldier in the wars of Holland; a trav-
eler in France, Italy and Egypt; again
soldier in Hungary; captured by the
Turks and sold as a slave; sent from
COnstantinople to prison in the Crimea,
killing taskmaSter who beat him, and
then escaping through the woods of Rus
sia to Western Europe; going with an
army of adventurers against Morocco;
finally returning to England and Joining
the London COmpany-he was now call
ed upon by the verv enemles who had
prosecuted and ill-treated him, to rescue
them and their colony from destruction.
A strange and wonderful career! John
Smith was altogether the most noted
man in tho early history of America. F"
An ardent patriotism WHITES every
page. Particularly. does this appear in
his closing review, which is an admira-
bic summary of the present condition
and prospects of the United States.
"The visions and dreams of the Re-
volutionary patriots have been eclipsed
by the luster of actual accomplishment.
The territorial domains of the Republic
enclose the grandest belt of forest, valley
and plain that the world has in it. Since
the beginning of time no other people
have possessed such a territoFy--so rich
in resources, so varied in products, so
magnificent in physical aspect. Soil and
climate, the distribution of woods and
lakes and rivers, the interposition OF
mountain ranges, ana the fertility OF
valley and prairie, here contribute to
give to man a many-side and powerful
H. L. do Eaarr fnr
his shipping, rivers for his steamers,
fields for his plow, iron for his forge,
gold for his cupidity, landscapes for his
pencil, sunshine enough for song, and
snow enough for courage. Nor has the
Anglo-American failed to profit by the
advantages of his surroundings. lie has
planted free government on the largest
and most liberal scale known in history.
He has espoused the cause of liberty and
right. He has fought like hero for the
freedom and equality of all men. He
has projected a civilization which,
though as yet but dimly traced in out
line, is the vastest and grandest in the
world. Better than all he believes in
the times to come. So long as man is
anxious about the future, the future is
secure. Only when he falls into apathy
sleeps at his post, and cares no longer
for the morrow, is the world in danger
of relapse and barbarism IS
While the great ability displayed il
text calls for our chief admiration, it i:
by no means the only merit of the book
There is also an objective present ntatioI
of the subject by series of eoloreC
| Chronological charts-which show at
glance what men and events were con
temporary. Upwards of fifty topograph
ical diagrams sho ~ the vicinity of ever,
battle and important event; and a serie
of excellently drawn and colored map
show the political divisions of the coun
try, from time to time. These maps ar
not only geographical but civil and his
torical. The publishers have, in tn
makeup of the book, illustrated the pei
fection to which the art of book making
has attained. 1t is an exceedingly abl
and valuable work, and as its low pric
brings it within the reach of all, it shoul
be read and studied by every citizen VIII
would be informed of the history an
| greatness of his country and his dutie
towards it.