, 1876-03-25
"SWlNTON,S OUTLINES"

rroS. Adams, Of Ann Arbor, Replies to
~ InvcsttRntor "s-Lottcr from rrOS.
Aflon. OF tAo Unlvcrsity Of WiscOfl-
10 tA4 Editor Of 7he Chfeaao Tribune:
Asg ABpon, Mich, March GIL desire to say
fow words in response 10 Tho letter pnb!ished
In your iesuo Of tho 18th Inst. 90 Mr.. swintons
"Outitnes," and my connection With It.
Twill prefaco Whist havo to offer by rounrk-
ing that moro thnn month ago intimAttons
camu to mo from different sourcca that
violent assault was " bp rnado upon
myHo1f directly, aud upon tho Univorsty
indirectly, oyor tho shoulders o. Mr. Swim.
assured, in q corner OF tho HtRto from which
tho University has OF lato learned to anticipate
very lit.lo bit petulant displays Of ill-uature.
thoug your letter Pnrporta oI,1eqs 70 naeo OHeh n
regard It M tho fnlAl!ment Of this prediction. I
would havc no ono think that tho real !" lnvenst-
gator lyoe uudor the shadow Of tho Untyoraity.
Eoncorhing my connection with Mr. SWlnsou'a
book, LAvo a fow woEtls to OtGer.
. l. In 1871 began the preparation OF Q BOOK
for tho use Of preparatory schools. Hotoro /
had advanced far, however, found tho VOTE
irksomc, aud VIVA soon ready to abandon is on
saw statement that Prof. BWinton, Of the Uni
ycrstY OF California, was preparing o similar
work. to DO published by aleasrs. Ivoson d Co.,
Of Now York. Mt onco requested d tr'ona III
that city to inqutro as TO tho ground OF tho ro-
port and. Oil learning tlat It was correct, I'M
mediateIy abandoned my work. This was moro
than two ycars buforo tho appearance Of hlr.
Swiuton'8 book. DO much Tor tho cAafeo taat !
abandoned my own Oh tho appearance Of Atr.
Bwintons work. mud tho contenptible insinnation
that for pcouniary consideration - 'indorscd
tho latter al far superior to my own idoal."
coivod . copy Of Mr. sginton'a book from tho
publlshors examined II, as may vel! ho aup-
posed. with somewhat moro than usual interest.
I know tho o1collencies Of Mr.. Bwln-
toms other school BOOKS, and my h1En aniei-
pasiops Of this work wero not disappointed.
found that the arrangement was admirable,
tho atylo was plouBing. tho mnpa and illustra-
tsons wore suporb, aud, above all, that tho book
waA calculated to oxeiso an ensh;laisat'o fond
coudont merits, found that the book confirmed
numerous small errors. In my letter Of &C.
! acknowledgement 1 Expressed ny general admsa,
tion OF tito work, mud tbs bcliel TINT II II consd
DO made reasonably FREQ from errore by careful
| revision, 1t would leavo nothing further to DO
desired. Some months lator, review OF tho
book In tile Nation took substantially the aatnc
70 read thu work with o Wow to correcting Its
errors In statements Of facts. Will, much re.
| lnotance consented to do il, and brought 1t
| to q conclusion somewhat moro than year ago,
For this labor, and for nothing else, | roccived
moderate though. satisfactory compensation.
| nv further acquaintance with tho vonmo in
nroaaod nv admiration OF 1t, md, notwishstaud-
| fuR tllo fact that lad received bmhl sum OF
money for umo actually spent ever It, dia nos y
| tho pubtishers Inovcr "indorsod" tto book In
any othor manner than hundreds OF others have
dono by expressing an opinion that 1t IL tho beBs
work i, tue market loE scnoo! paFtoseSi atha- t.
general historical for tho uHo Of prepafatory
studenta; md, without tho fear Of rival publish
| inR houses boioro my oyea, ventured to u1prosa
ny thought lw1oso undor M the iprSasoa m tnat nat
| exclusively foz tho bonotlt ct Agents aua pun
lishIug louscs. In u word. praised tue pook
because believed It tho bost book for tho .sso
that Investigator introduced 1t. aud contin-
ueB to uso 1t In his own school for tho satuo
reason. Whoever says. therefore, that received
$500, Or any other sum, directly Or indirectly.
"for iadorane the sWlnton no9s ss5e ~has 'a
5. nIy assaiiaut atirms that "oithor Prot.
Adams was ignorant Of tic contents Of books
whic, were quito common. or else llo recognized
10 :liis wholesale stoallng tho sauctiou Of hia
namo" 10 which ropIy that sent myse!
boldly aud eynn chaortuy upon tho hrat horn
Of ,his formidable dlcnlme; l confehs theto ar
10 well acquainted with as 10 be able to aetoot I
Q,1otation or nlialuotation from thcm at sight
Whatever literary disgrace there may b
iii this fact ! shall havo TO put up with
1 mutt ALL, moreover, tQut 1 ulA INV kAlnA =
worth tho vshilo to coltato Mr. Awintoa's worl
With otLor school books, either 1or tho purros'
Of goncrR! revision OF for TINT OF supplying
quotAtion-mArhG. I was requested simply T.
aud confined my efforts strictly within tho iot
tor Of my commission. consulted no booKa u
, tho course OF tho reading hut such aa regardc
~ tho most trustworthy authorities.
1. Tho assault iu Gennral, thou, 10 far ~ pei
tains 10 myself, amounts to this An atroconAl
false auppoaitlon and group Of oontemptihl
destinations equsllY falae Aro matto tho haAta {
. malignant att1ck oil nv literary cllaracto
The man Who ls capable OF striking thus In III
da.1 hs tho reputation Of npother, regard aa
: snoakiug coward, compared with whom tue ord
y nary aaaaBsin Ia n yoEftablo hero.
8. In conclusion wish 10 add few words Q
. ing st tl,e passages publIshed from Mr.. sw!i
toms book; for, ns I hayo not the pleasure {
!, hla acquaintance, presume no Will desire
: fight hia own battlos. But Wish to declare
!, historical boolH in these last days. that I
u plagiarism In generally tho most aonHolesB d
not say by any mpans TINT tho1o ta no such tlu
ns aguiltv appropriation Of the literary work {
MANS thoughts aro .s aacrcdly hLa on
o ~ hia lunls aud his goodl. lut Ill
;, tory 90 tas ~ u u not q reeo'
u Of ouinions Ia ehioty, II not exclusively, rc
10 otl1or man s,ha described before htn. and oltt
70 tho ouly option Ia QUO Of selection and arraug
IL 1nent. Buotoniua aud Tlusarcll. for c1anpl
u havo both givon ~ aocoun; OF tAo assassinttie
Of Cusar, oyon 10 reporting tho words uRo
d McEyao las taken 1,s l account from rua.eh
l. norhnos from hlariyxto, In either case no IA
i. crlt,cisu can l.old swiu.on to tho noce4sity .
strictly ayo'iing, thS rsstasoolosy q
iect, then 1 say deliberately that Il
majority Of a tssStsnod 1ist9fsa T5tiss to s
nj ~ Somnsring tbo writings OF hLatorians with Il
81 authorities Oh which they are based. kuoTs =.
IN thoro il nothing moro common 10 narrative III
bo sofy thai, oloao imitation OF tho Language
to the original authority. Buckle u jnHtly 90
W sidsrad ono Of the noss original ,oi,ul O. mode
ar a" careI In bocopuo q literary acayepger, Bhou
Cd consider it an easy task 70 NJ
ot nowsraper with parallel. passages snoni ,sl
Ell tLe specific Indebtedness Of BUCKLE TO Lismor
d. and others. But to condomn the 1Aayntfcc
Cd work Of tia. great English historian on su
ar mi, for tAe color OF Ills pautaoons Or tno l'a
II. ing Of btu hair. Lot man ait down fos TWO