Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01

enumerate few among many others. Ter
naux- Compan's collection of twenty vol
umes the Collection de Documents In
ieditos para la Historic de Espana, in more
than fifty volumes, issued under the auspices
OF the Spanish Academy Documents
para la Historic de Mexico in twenty. one
volumes, under auspices of the Mexican
Government, forming one of the most val
liable sets extant; "Icazbslceta, Collection
de Documentos," exceedingly valuable ;
and contributions by Ramirez. the Mexican
savant. The colonial period of Mexico has
never been written exceptin Spanish, and
very imperfectly without research, and u1-
worthy of translation. The republican Pc
riod is more thoroughly covered by native
writers, bat the versions are SO biased and
varied as simply to furnish material for the
impartial student. A connected history of
the three centuries is clearly needed, and
Mr. Bancroft hss in his library the most
complete collection of material on the SUBJ
jeet IL the world.
PACIFIC COAST HISTORY.
As ne himself has somewhere expressed
it: Enticingly stood these Pacific States
before the enlightened world; yet neg
lected for il is safe to say that there was
no part of the globe equal in historic inter
est and Importance to this western half OF
North America, including the whole of
Mexico and Central America, which at the
time had not its historical material in bet
ter shape and its history well written.
IL word, time enough had elapsed since
the discovery of the country for it to have
history and historical data, but not sufi-
Gent time for all knowledge respecting the
beginning of things to have dropped out of
existence, Mr.. Bancroft was particularly
fortunate in bis opportunity, and the peo-
pie particularly fortunate 10 that Mr.. Ban
croft undertook the work.
Since time immemorial the West has
casketed mysteries for human longing,
The aboriginal man and the child, who by
day reveled in the cheering brightness of
the sun. felt seized by feeling of awe as
following it's course it yielded to the allur.
ing embrace of silded clouds, sank in the
ocean, or disappeared in the mist, pursued
by portentous blackness Their eyes fol-
lowed it, and with them their hopes to
reach that region hey ond, blessed with
light, while darkness covered the lately
bright path. Thus the Greeks placed there
the Hesperides with its golden orchards.
or magnificent Atlantis /; but also a sea of
darkness to bar from pryipg mortals the
approach to chimes SO happy. Columbus
dared to penetrate into this Egeon. filed
sea, to disclose the long ignored Elysisn
fields, so fair that he believed the garden
TO have been here situated. He frequently
came across what might be regarded as
" 8 plualized paradise. The wonder was
how nature contrived such glories. Round
the entrance clustered islands, whose out
spread foliage brushed the venturesome
sail thas threaded the deep, narrow chan
nels Celestial beauty irradiated the land,
and celestial brightness overspread the
sea. %"
sBancroft's "History Pacific States vol i, 1Go.
Even now fancy tends 10 the West,
whittier civilization steadily marches, re-
claiming soil from the wilderness, opening
new routes, creating new industries. A
strange land is the Occident-vast in ex.
tent, strong in power and phenomena, i'm.
mighty outbursts, through long lines of
smoking volcanoes in lofty ranges, stem
ming huge tidal waves that roll in with
abruptness from the vastest of oceans. The
soil is volcanic, electric, and produces in
luxurious abundance the grandest Of for
ests, the highest and stoutest of trees. and
the largest and most beautiful of fruit.
Man partakes of this exuberance. He rises
with the grandeur around and becomes en-
ergetic. Mighty cities rise under his touch
as if by magic railroads force path
through the wilderness, and settlers trans
form it into blooming gardens arts and
industries spring up. Such Is the picture
at least of California and from a land SO
progressive more things may be expected,
even in the highest fields of literature and
fine art Nor are we disappointed, Young
as the country is, it has shown an advance
in both which leaves far distant States
of similar age It cannot, then, be sur.
prise that one of its most progressive men
has made departure in the field of liter,
ature, and that for the history of the
country has laid foundation that viii
stand through all time.
CALIFORNIA.
Mr.. Bancroft very properly begins his
history with an elaborate dissertation II
the introductory on Spanish traits and in
situations in the fifteenth century, in order
to trace the motives impelling them to
such vast achievements.
He depicts the influence on the Spanish
mind of the mixture of races on the PENN.
sula, from all of whom the Castilisns received
certain characteristics that explain motives
and acts, that assisted to carry the Iberians
at bound to a grandeur unparalleled
"But nature, like men, must die. The
full measure of prosperity had been melted
out to Spain, and now she must lay il
down such ia the memorable law of pro-
gress. 1t was the very irony of autocracy-
that one man should rule half the world
SPANS pyramid of greatness, which as
sumed such lofty proportions during the
reign of their Catholic majesties, culminat'
ed during the reigns of their immediate
successors. A long line of ambitious and
able princes had raised the empire to a
giddy hight but with an illiterate popu.
lace and grasping nobility, no sooner did
the rulers become incompetent than the
nation fell in pieces. In the hight of his
grandeur SPANS grandest monarch sur.
feited of success and abdicated and with
the death of his son Philip the glory OF
the empire departed. Then might heI
eDltEDn D6 WIlGt6A SShSutiCo vi
steady growth, long and lusty youth,
more than falls to the lot of most nations
and in three brief centuries more she rose,
and ripened, and declined. lid, lll2.
The essay is most interesting, and de.
monstrates the fact that the author is ex'
ceedingly thorough in his method, in thus
going to the root, so to speak, for the traits
which were impressed on an entire world,
by a new race there to spring up. Then
follows an exhaustive Summary Of Geo.
graphical Knowledge" 1t embraces eighty
pages, and treats Of early voyages prior to
1910, comprising every authentic voyage
beyond the Mediterranean, with discus
sions on doubtful expeditions and on maps,
whereof series of fac SMILES of rare and
unique specimens are given. Like all mat
tiers of special interest to the scientific stu
dent, it is appended in fine type, that the
interest of the history may be unimpaired.
The real story is begun when Columbus is
irving to obtain hearing at court for his
plans. which have been maturing for