New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
>,crorr,s ,c1FIC STATES.

San Francisco A. L. Bancroft & Co.
III historical undertaking of Mr.. Hubert H. Ban
croft 10 ON scale with tue fertility and enterprise
n; tho remarkable state in which it takes It's
origin. Bicness, rapidity, and exubcranco are tho
characteristics of everything in California, from
the grow tn of vegetables 20 the growth OF hter'-
ture and II is quite in the natural order of events
that the first California historian, beginning his
labors 10y collecting a library of $4,000 volumes
should make his debut in authorship with an OK
haustive work in thirty or forty ponderous octavos'
But il no means our intention to treat this phe
nomenon nippantly Mr.. Bancrofts history promises
10 he n splendid monument of American scholarship
and enthusiasm: and though the plan upon WHICH III
has been land ont chaacteristicaIy large anu
bold there is no good reason TO d0uOt 'haV IL '''o
authors life is spared little While-auu TIC ID ~
tho nrime Of his years-it will be completed accord
ing tu the prospectus Mr.. Bancroft was Formerly
n bookseller and publisher in San Francisco ana IL
WAS while he was in active business that nc beean
his extraordinary collection OF works on the history
of the Pacific Store, now contained in a fre-proof
builling on Nalcncia-st., which serves also rs
his literary workshop. Probably there is nothing
in the world which exactly corresponds in value in
interest, in abundance, and in completeness with
this priceless library Both hemiSpheres have been
searched for treasures to eli it, and with such results
that there is no country on the globe ioi whose
carly hiSory such ample material has now oeeh
brought together as for thai OF California INC
records of the Spanish adVehtuTers and MISSION
aries of the sixteenth century, the Mission archives
etc arc ueculiarlv rich and abundant Govern
ment and private stores and the manuscript Te6ol-
lectons of pioneer settlers have been obtained IN
great number. Large purchases were maze at inc
Andradc sale. from the collection Intended Dy wax
imilion as the foundation of an imperial library the
1.1i tom
and the manuscripts amassed by the industrious
Mr.E.G. Squer also camolnto Mr.. Bancroits hands
The library contains about 2 600 volumes OF manu-
scrpts. each OF which, We are assured. would fur
nish from ten to fifty documents heretofore wholly
unknown" Amon- the printed books are many OF
extreme rarity, including early products OF the
Mexican press The cost of the library has been
about $500. 900; and 100000 more has been spent
in the preparation of catalogues, indexes. and other
devices for making its contents easily a7ailabie
for literary purposes. From pamphlet distributed
with the volume now Oh our table, We learn that
Mr. Bancroft employs number OF literary assist
ants, who hunt topics for him through the wilder
ne of books and bring back notes references and
,l-,,. .anda, 50 that what ten or a hundred au-
tho. have said on each individual topic and Incl
dem may be brought before him at one time"
After many experiments to the best way of sort
ing these notes the odd plan was adopted OF keep
ing them in paper bags such as grOCers use.
InlSGS Mr.. Bancroft transferred the active man
arement of his business to his brother, order 10
devote himself to historical composition. His sub
icct embraced the whole region of the United
States west of the Rocky Mountains, together with
Central America Mexico, British Columbia. and
Alasku and after separating this domain into con
venien geographical divisions he resolved to take
them up in the order from South to North, Which Is
substantially the chronological order OF their com
quest or occupation. His five volumes on The
Native Races of the Pacific states $50 formed
m appropriate introduction to the general scheme.
They contained some philosophical speculation
which was unfayorably criticised. but they gave
Mr.. Bancroft at once distinguished position as an
Investigator and it is not too much to say that his
additions to our previuus knowledge OF the eiviliza
Ton which the Spanlards found the Pacific coast
were so important and so interesting that they
seemed like disclosures. He is now recognized as
an authority of the first rank on the pre-Eur opcan
races of the extreme west, and we may expect that
in the continuation Of his work he Will achieve
paralle distinction. His plan embraces three vol
umes on Central America, Mexico,
two on tie North Mexican States, one On
New-McXico aud Arizona. seven on California, one
each on Nevada AID Utah, two on the Northwest
coast two on Oregon, one on Washington, Idaho and
Montana one on British columbia one on Alaska,
and six volumes of miscellanles pertinent 10 the
main subject. making in all, including the Native
Races" thirty-une large volumes. Here is Occu-
patton for lifetime. But in estimating the prob
ability of the authors accomplishing all that lie
proposes we must take into account his long work
of preparation. the vast and Systematically d.
gested material at his command, his employment
of assistants for much OF the drudgery of investi-
CATION, aud perhaps may add the expansive
power Of a somewhat hOrid and diScursive style.
MI Bancroft tells us 1t is true, that he has striven
to cOndense, but it can hardly be questioned that
further compression would have benefited the
present volume. and especially that some crude
pages OF philosophy and reflection might well have
been spared. Yet We have no desire to harp upon
minor bler ishes TO quarrel with the authors
taste, to complain of his injustice 10 Irving, or
of the onensi,ey superior tone in which ne passes
Judgment upon Columbus, upon Isabella, Upon
Motley, Prescott, Freeman, etc. or OF the bigOtIy
which classes knowledge of the true God " it'll
smallpox aud other curses introduced into the New
World by the Spanlards; the Indians, We are told.
did not want God, and were better without him,
and their religion was in many respects better
than Christianity. Neither shall we vex ourselves
over the regularity with which Mr. Bancroft, after
laying down most excellent rules OF historical COM
position proceeds to violate them. The substance
OF his work is so remarkable that we can afford to
forget faults OF manner ana temper, though we
cannot help observing them.
The ground covered by this first volume of the
History Of Central America traversed by Irving
in bis account CT the adventures OF the Companions
OF Columbus. Mr. Bancroft however has had access
to a multitude OF documents which were unknown
to the earlier historian, and has followed method
much more searching and precise than suited IT.
wings temperament. AS a consequence W have a
narrative which is practically new, Astounding in
picturesque detail, and presenting the tragica TO-
nance of discovery and conquest with particularly
ana yividness IL has never possessed in any pre.