The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-03-11
NEW BOOKS.

ruE WORKS OF uURFR1 HOWE BANCROFT
Vol. VI. HISTORY or CENTRAL AMERICA,
Vol. !, i5oi.tt3o. san Franclsco A. y. Ban
croft co.
The" Native Races Of the Pacific Coast, "
work which has been universally commended 10y the
abIest reviewers, as exhibiting the highest capacity
for historical research and writing, would, 70 taken
alone have suficed 10 establish Mr. Hubert Ran
croft position in the literary world alongside Of
George Bancroft, patkmau, Prescott aud Motley
In the present volume he has entered upon much
larger task, intended when completed to bc Ills
tory OF the PaciHc states ot North America So
Taking as we properly must, this initial volume as
tn Index of the character or the whole work. 10 the
author lives to nuish VI, aud tits to I've earnestly
hoped he WILL we shall M duo time SEQ in it an en-
dutiug monument of honest literary labor ot which
any American may well I've proud We regard as un.
worthy u notice the c1rpiug OF some cnvlous person
that Mr. Bancroft has employed assistants.
wo,E W such magnitude could not pos
siby, as Mr.. Bancroft has pointed out have ever
been accomplished 10y unalded hand. Hence It /.
fortunate Tor the literary world that possess one
historian who Us not only competent and able writer
but askfui and orderly organizer of collaborativC
work. Tie volume we ate now reviewing bears iu-
rlnsc evidence OF being the product OF single mind,
aud that ot a master of his subject The style &,
admirable, pure English, clear neNble picturesque,
aud homogeneous. The story is well told aud the
authors theory of the philosophy OF history briefly
stated In his preface Is q sound and comprehensive
| one.
Readers of history whose minds have mainly heer
turned toward the old World Will be surprised 10 nud
from THIS volume how much Of stirring interest ther,
/ is IN narrative OF the Spanish Conquest of Contra
America. The glowing pages OF Prescott have mad,
us familiar with the fall Of the MonteSumas In MeNiC,
and OF the ncas In Peru, but the episodes of almos
equal irtetest In the tsthmln states have Remained
buried n the records ot q hundred obscure spanisl
chronlcers until MIR. bancroft came forward to do ot
large scale the work undertaken by Prescott on fa
smaller one,
/ The opening chapter appropriately deals with old
\ Spaln-the spain of Ferdinand aud Isahella--ant
/ gives a graphic and truthful sketch Of spanisl
character, society and manners. This is o
course important to q comprehension of the vas
colonial empire established y spain In the siNteentl
. century. without It should fail to undertau,
the men who made these wonderful conquests-
leaders who were often conspicuous for their valo
anu ability f,r their enterprise aud crnelty, an,
who notnfrequently turned their arms upon eacl
other.
The plan OF the work necessltAies the telling Orlen
Of the story OF columbus, which well done. The
W. follow Balboa, through varied adventures, to III
trial ana execution 10y the father OF his bttrothed
the avaTicious and cruel Pcdrarias, hut not unit
Balboa has discovered the southern Sea. DE soto
Cortes. aud Pizarro all ave their adventures on tn
Isthmus, and the marches hghtings, intrgues, an,
Cruelties incessant, but the chief conqueror I
AWarado, to whose ruthless the later chapter
of this volume devoted, leaving him at Its clio,
at the height OF his power ruling in Guatemala, Il
leaving this work we need only express unqunli
fled comnendatnn both of its design and execution
The list Of authorities quoted proves that the laho
Of collecting material has been done with unusua
thoroughnes5.