New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-17
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
go. ,,pp,,.N,s NEW VOLUME.

VA, / svo PIP. XVII 5lt Little Brown ~ 70
The narrative Of which we have mere ."e "is'
half covers much than it's title seems 10 prom"
,se Montcalm aud Wolfe are taken as
s.noscnta,ives of the two nations whose struggle
1or the possession Of this continent was closed
undcr them and IL s the whole of the last act III
The GREAT drama extending from the year lfaS 10
The cntastrophe on the Plains of Abraham IN l'o''
that the historian now makes his theme "on'-
calm and Woier is therefore the last OF the series
If historical narratives 60 which Mr. faihin"n mas
riyen the general title of France and Ene'anu i"
North America" 10 IL published OUT OF It's cn'""-
oloqic,i order, for between the close ot COUNT
rron,cnnc and New France which FORMED fait "
Of The series and the opening OF the present instn'
mont, which Ia numbered Part VII. there is m
interval of forty.ciehi years. which tho author '-
tends 10 treat hereafter M Part vi. ~ TINS la'e
tny a would DO snpcfInous Ia dwcll upon
The vivid aud brilliant style, the energetic move
ment the extraordinary powcroi dcScup'"n' INV
mastery Of form and detail, tho original research
aud the clear aud direct purpose which nave ma"o
MIR, Parkman one of the most dis'ing"iShc" W
American historians All these splendid l""h'ioS
shed their lustre upon the fascinating pages now
before u.s. Aud apart from its charm of manner
the book is conspicuous monument OF patient, en-
thns,astic and fruitful inycsti cation. The author
has studied an enormous mass of manuscript docu-
ments in tho archives OF france ana
England, diaries and letters in the possession OF
descendants of Montcalm and other actors IN the
struggle State collections, and various other ireSh
materials; he has made q personal cXaninatioho vi
the scenes of battle and adventure, examining his
subject "as much from life and in the open air as
at the library table; and as result OF TINS
thorough historical method he has presented a
wealth of new information with startling freshness
and realism
To realize the art with which he has arranged and
exhibited his conclusions we must take INTO account
the curious Intrcaces of the subject lie has To dc-
scribe the rvalres and intrgues, the secret enter
prises aud open violence, of two powers WHO were
in actual conflict long before they were AT open
war; the beginning aud development of struggle
which from backwoods raid became clashlhg OF
empires, "the most momeuous and far-reachlng
question ever brought to issue this continent"
20 say nothing of its influence upon the fortunes OF
the English people. The Seven Years War
made England what she is, and the
Seven Years War began with volley
from the huuting-pieces of Il few frontiers
men. commanded by a Virgmian youth George
Washington. The French population of Canada
aud Louisiana, at the middle of the eighteenth cen
tury numbered perhaps 10000. while the Enghsh
were about 10000. But there were something's
TO counterbaauce this numerical disparity. France
controlled the two great river highways of the con-
t,nent the St Lawrence and the Mississippi. Her
position in Canada was easily defended against IA
far superior force Her colonlsts were hardy, adj
venturous good soldiers, united and obedlent
The English colonies were scattered along
the Atlantic coast shut in between the mountains
and the sea- divided i'll government origin, feelings
and principles jealous of each other jealous OF tho
crown. at war with the executive and blinded TO
the common outward danger by the fermentation
of internal politics. Between Canada and the Eng
1;sl,o Law a hrnq r. q ranged
the savage tribes whom France had made useful
allies aud England mplacable foes. Between
Canada aud the settlements of Louisiana the ONO
and the Mississippi rolled their flood through near
" 5000 miles of solitude, region which France
claimed 10y right of discovery and occupation al
though as yet she had sent into 1T only lew ms
sionaries and fur traders. In this wilderness the
struegle was TO open. Gassoniere, the Governor
of Canada perceived the Importance of erecting
cham of forts in the Ohio and Mississippi valleys
70 bind together the widely separated posts of the
St. Lawrence and the Gulf, 10 contine the English
20 their strip of coast, aud to secure the whole Ill
terror for French colonizatlo But when
he sent C6oron de Benvillc in 17lo
70 assert the French claims to
this country. English pioneers had already
crossed the mountains founded trading houses,
mud opened intercourse with the Indians lach
PARTY regarded the other ~ an intruder Each
sourht t. force the other back Each invited al
lance with the eayagcs and melted them to mas
sactc aud pilinpe. Thus while France aud England
were Rtll osicnsihly NJ peace border waratcfaHcd
openly between thcr respective colonies In America,
spgcading iio,n the ohio Valley along the northern
line aud reaching serious proportions before the
two powers made u formal declaration of hostihtioe
after year of hard lighting,
la the spring of 1853 Canadian force landed
nj Prcsauislc where Erie now stands, built fort,
md al out ms
md il was 10 meet this invasion las the English
regarded IT'D that Governor Dinwiddc, OF Virginia.
dispatched the expeditions which first brought
George Washington into notice The story OF
Washingtons adventurous mission TO Fort lie
Bnuf with summons to the French 10 withdraw,
his dangerous winter journey through the forest the
march to the Great Meadows, the defence and sur
render of Fort Necessity, assumes in Mr. Parkmans
animated pages all the color of romance. IL was
the prelude to the stirring drama. OF which the
chief incidents falling within the scope of this
volume are the defeat of Braddock. the removal of
the Acadians the route of Dieskau near Crown
Point the arrival of Montcam, the capture of Fort
William Henry, the massacre OF the prisoners. The
subject calls forth Mr. Parkmans highest powers.
His narrative of the Braddock expedition is not
only superbly graphic, but it is enriched with nu-
merous effective particulars gathered in the course
of the authors search among original docu-
nen.s. Mr.. Parkman denies that Braddock fell
into an ambuscade. " There was no ainbuscade," he
saws and had there been one he would have
found it, Ii is true that he did not reconnoitre the
woods very far in advance of the head of the
column yet with this exception he made elaborate
dispositions to prevent surprise" Mr.. Parkmans
own pages however make it quite clear that the
"exception" of not recommending the woods
very far In advance was vital The
British general did indeed make elaborate
dispositions prevent surprise, but they were not
Che dispositions which the circumstances required,
and which Washington advised and they did not