Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-11-01
A Valuable Book.


History OF the United States from the Abb
original Times to the Present Day. By
John Clark Ridpath, A. NJ. Professor of
History and Belies-Lettres, Indiana As
bury University. Royal OctayC. Illus
trated witt; Maps, Charts, Portraits and
Diagrams. Sold only by subscription.
Price $500. Jones Brothers & Co., Phil
adelphia, Chicago and Cincinnati.
The circumstauiial detail of 3S4
ycars-the years that have opened u
new world and created mighty nation
was never given in better style than
IN this work. When we look through
the bulky volumes OF Bancroft We won
der that one man should attempt to
write all the history of our country
when the preliminary portion of 1t takes
up SO much space. But We cannot see
that Professor Ridpath has omitted a
single material fact that is contained in
Bancroft, while be has avoided that
tedious detail which units the work of
the latter for popular use. The in
trigues of the English Court and Cabi-
net, the petty squabbles Of the House
of Commons, the rise and fall of parties
in England, which are supposed to have
had an influence on American affairs,
these are indeed omitted from Prof.
Ridpath's work but in their stead is
given brief and mastery summary OF
the causes which led to the American
Revolution, which we venture to say,
conveys a better understanding of the
matter to ninety-nine in every hundred
readers. Take for instance the follow
ing extract:
"Another cause leading to the Revolu-
tiOn vas found in the natural deposition and
Inherited character Of the coionisfs. They
Were, for the most part, republicans in pol
itics and dissenters in religion. The peo-
pie of England were mOnarchi-ts and High
Churchmen. The colonists had never seen
a king. The Atlantic lay between them and
the British ministry. Their dealings wi h
the royal officers had been such as to engen-
der a dislike for monarchisl institutions
The people OF America had not forgotten
could not well forget-the circumstances
under which their ancestors had ceme 10
the New World. For six generations the
colonists had managed their own affairs !;
and their methods of government were ne
ceSsarIly republican. The experiences of
the French and lndihn War had shown that
Americans We're fully able to defend them.
selves and their country"
As one important cause, is not that
more satisfactory than volume of COM
mentary
The authors rare ability to condense
vast amount of information into a sin
gle paragraph is shown IN any of his
numerous, graceful biographies. Take
the following on Benjamin Franklin
"BEyJAMry FRANKLIN, the author of the
first treaty between the United States and
foreign nation, was born in Boston on the
18th of January, l106. His father was
manufacturer of soap and candles. To this
humble vocation the young Benjamin was
devoted by his parents; but the walls of a
candie-shop were too narrow for his aspir-
ing genius. At the age of twelve he was
apprenticed to his brother to learn the art
OF printing but the brother beat him. and
no employment. In l123 ne repaired to
Philadelphia, entered printing office, and
rose to distinction. He visited England
; founded the first circulating libra
~ in America; became a man OF science
edited Poor Richdrd's .4imInac; originated
the American Philosophical Society; dis
covered the identity of electricity and light
mig; made himself known in both hemi-
IL. .E..
and devoted the unimpaired energies of his
old age TO perfecting the American Union.
The name of Franklin is one of the bright
est in the history of any nation"
In this work Prof. Ridpath has sur
mounted one difficulty which cOnfronts
all historians to set forth all the facts,
with fitting comments, without on the
one hand making his work too volumi-
nous for common use, or on the other
making it a mere outline of dry and
facts.
\ series of Charts show the cctem-
porary men and events, and colOred
maps illustrate the changes in political
boundaries from tine to time. These
are of great assistance to the reader.
10 short i. is difficult to find partlcu-
lar in which this History does not meet
every want of the citizen and patriot.
1t is the work of 4 cultured mind and
careful historian, and must take rank
as the best History Of the United
States yet published.