Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-02
BOOK REVIEW.

Central America, took up the first of the fo1r
great periods Of American history, the con.
quest by Cortez and left US at the capture
and occupation of the City of Mexico. The
present Volume, continuing on the plan al
ready explained, of deviation from numerical
order of the State histories, and by which the
annals of the several States are brought down
by parallels, opens with the year 1921 and the
rebuilding of Mexico, and carries the record
down through the rule of the viceroys to the
year 1000, and the termination of the six
tenth century in New Spain, "the opening
Of which hsd beheld at the zenith of its
glory the most advanced and powerful EN-
pire in America" Mr.. Bancroft's present
volume avoids some of the causes of criticism
directed against its predecessors, those which
except to his frequent classical references, and
his rather studied attempts at rhetorical
finish, which at times become fiorid and lose
effect from the pause they command in the
order of recital. The historian must be the
commentator, but in judicial sense, and ex-
cept he is making his records essays, in which
the fullest indulgence may be allowed the
fancys he must expect the modern reading
public TO prefer detail and comparison.
Mr.. Bancrof.'s works, too, have for
an object the correction Of history,
and the exact compilation and arrange
ment Of facts, and therefore he does
well, and will do better still TO move as little
as may be upon the line exciting the crit.
those who have analyzad his style from con-
thinning bis judicial commentaries and reAec.
tions, and even such classical SMILES as will
iiiumine the subject and forcibly impress
upon the readers mind the importance of
events, and the significance Of turning points
in history. None are more frequent than his
torical parallels, and that work which claims
to be exhaustive and makes no reference to
them is at fault. But if it be admitted that
Bsncroftis TO an extent "pedantic," and that
his sharp assaults upon previous recitals may
by some be construed into "sneers," these
are minor matters, above which rise the
great features of his work and overshadow
and eliminate from just estimation
all the defects that may be charged
to style and literary execution. And
what are these features? Froude says that
the historical inquirer demands proof of suf-
fcient force and certainty to convince Brit
ish jury in criminal case of a state of facts
The fact feature is the chief one in these
coast histories; the collection of proofs, the
array of evidences, the marshaling of truths
that convince the jury of readers, has been
the one great work of the author whose
latest volume we have just closed after a
very careful reading. Oae of Mr.. Bancroft's
severest critics was compelled to admit, on
the appearance Of the first volume that he
has rectitied numerous errors of date, has
separated events and actors that have been
hitherto described as identical or COMPOUNDED
with others, has given the real sequence Of
occurrences that have been spread confusedly
over longer or shorter periods than the facts
warrant, has credited to their true authors
transactions that have been mistakenly at
tributed to others, and has accumulated
a multitude of minute but interesting facts
that escaped the notice of previous investi-
gators, which throw q new and strong light
upoa nearly every step and
which introduce US more fully TO knowledge
of the motives, the character, the aims and
policies both of the conquerors and con-
quered. a stronger and more satisfactory
verdict could scarcely be formulated, and it
ia hardly intensified by the statement which
we adopt, that ''as to the correction of
inaccuracies, it is undoubtedly the most par.
feet of any of the histories of the conquest"
In the volume before us the same accuracy in
detail prevails it sets in order the historical
house heretofore in confusion /; it treats events
in their proper relation to each other, and
presents them in that orderly array that is
most acceptable to the historical reader, be-
cause truest. The author is happy in a de-
gree especially noticeable by the reader in
Analysing the labors Of Cortes subsequent
to the conquest, in which the far
seeing victor strengthened himself by devel-
opment of hs country and the introduction Of
the arts and industries of Spain, rather than
by searching for treasures and mines. There
is no concealment made of the cruelties of the
invader. no curtain drawn over the unmerci-
full treatment of the chieftains but these sre
not permitted TO blind the vision to the re-
forms introduced by Cortes, and to his sincere
ff rio m lift fha cnrnf r,r 70 hattar oon,l;tior
After the graphic recital of the humiliation
and deposition of the sonquerer, to whom
Mendoza succeeded, we are carried on to the
domination of the yiceregal government and
the plans, contests, labors and achievements
of the religious orders. In the treatment of
such variety of subjects as the period en-
braced by the greater part of the sixteenth
eentary presents, Mr.. Bancroft gives evil
dence of greater self possession and ease his
style has become more vivacious, his judg-
ment clearer and quicker. aud his application
of proofs and deduction of facts more rapid
and incisive but there are no evidences of
haste or lack of fairness. On the contrary,
the spirit of Judicial consideration and calm
Judgment is plainly evidenced. 1t is scarcely
necessary to remark that the same
breadth and depth of research is mani.
fest as in the previous volumes. 1t has
indeed been, if possible, more exhaustive.
The authorities consulted were not more nu.
merous, rather less, but were of character
demanding closer consideration, more careful
comparison and greater labor in untanelinz
and setting in order the facts confused so
long. They embraced not only the writings
of the soldier ehroniclers, but tie reports of
officials and municipalities, official collec-
tons of historical documents, thu writings OF
the monks and of the natives and mestizos
educated at the converts, and who iIabiDed
from their priestly teachers the love for
writing. Thus there is quoted freely Ca
MARCO and ais sketches Of events during the
Spanish rule; Chimalpain. who translated
Gomara; Ixtlilxoehitl, the native Cicero;
and score of others, including treatises on
special episodes and States by such as Ala
man, Ramirez, Icazbalcets, Orozco Berrs,
Bustsmants Romero and others. In his use