Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-18
BOOK NOTICES.

BOOK NOTICES.
From A. /. Bancroft & Co., san Fran
cisco, and Furds, Howard & Hubert, New
York, we have Major Ben c. Truman in
teresting book, The Field Of Honor"
Major Truman is a genial writer. possesses
admirable commend of language, is grace
full and easy IL bis method and neat in his
literary style. Without being notably
ornate, he dresses his pages in 4 fitting
garb, and clothes his thoughts III raimcnt
that IS always graceful drapery, but never
INDUCES in any eitorttul attempts TO be
brilliant He is an admirable narrator
there are few better. lie possesses the art,
and it is an art, Of compiling facts and
marshaling them in such order as TO give
even pr0saic details deep interest
IN nothing that he has done has
! his ability as collator and &
narrator been more prominently manifest
than in the present volume, which IS q
comprehensive and exhaustive history Of
/ dueling i'll all countries and after all man
ncrs. The work is dedicated TO Hon. lie
/ land Stanford r. Anxious humani gencris' ]
q most fitting expression, since that broad
minded ptlbIioist is pre-emtnenly a
friend Of the race Of men. There IS, how
Z '
tribute and tie text Of the book. which
could contain no record of that
distinguished citizen having ever appealed
to " the bloody code" Major Truman,
while tracing the origin Of dueling from
the judicial combats Of the Cells down
through all its history, refrains from giving
= The bloody resort his approval. He
cites such delenses as have been made for
it. however, as he should do as true his
torian but gives the reader 10 clearly IN
delstand that his own estimation of true
courage and nobility Of character ranks
tLat as the highest and best which refuses
to be bound by the laws Of arbitration
written by the sword point OF voiced
By the pistols mouth. The volume,
which, By The way, is full TO the briln and
OVERLOOKING with anecdotal recital, considers
first ducing in France III its varied forms,
and from the earliest days of its history
This chapter IS followed by one on duelinS
in England, and this in turn by review Of
the practice in Ireland, Scotland, German
countries, Europe generally, and in Amer
lea. We have detailed accounts of duels
between Indians, MeXicans, Cubans clergy
men, and women, duels III the dark, and
several exceedingly humorous accounts OF
the ludicrOus episodes of the field, and the
Dleasantries Of personal encounters to
ayenge supposed insults and heal wounded
honor. There is chapter also on blood
less dunIs one on tynes of dueIists another
on the remorse Of duelists. All notable
Fnroueau and Amarican duels are re-
counied and their tragic or other char
artpr fulIy preserved i'm the recital
Tbus we are told of Andrew Jackson's ia
nous meeting with Charles Dickinson, Of
the Crittendeil-Conwa duel in Arkansas
sam Houston's duel with General White
ard tL. dreadful npctinor between Major
Riddleand Spencer Pettis on Bloody Island
the .ae and Ia,irpns SackyiiIe and Bruce
t,r,,, and Edyrrfon O'FonunIJ and DIES
terje. Hamilton and BUR-, and scores of
other encounters. OF duels in California
rr,,r.hic accounts are Given of the meeting
between Edward Gilbert. then editor of the
sam Francisco Alta, and Secretary Of State
James ". Denver, in which Gilbert lost his
life, at . the Oaks, some forty miles from
Sacramento; between John Nugent aud
Alderman Cuttcr, in Contra Costa county
between Frank Washington and {. a.
Washbun between VIII Hicks Graham
and s. Frank Lemon; between Graham ami
Walker, the gray-eyed man OF destiny
between Robert Tevls and {. L. Llpplncott,
near DoWnieyiile, and which tragic event
was graphically described by CALVIN j..
Mcdonald III the HECoRD-t MON III 1879
between juicy Clld5Ci 'IIit w" 'ti2t ~
Suffer county; between y. G. Russell and
J. i. Folsom, and between Russell and
Gov. McDougal; between Il. Z. hemblc
and Col. McDu.Igal; between Captain
Reane and john wilson tlhe latter occur
ring as late as lS70l. Ot course the Brod-
eFickrrrry duel IS described and IS char
acterizca as the fourth most noted fatal
duel fought in the United states. The book
is one that attracts by weird interest,
such rs attaches 70 the recital OF ali tragic
events Of arms, but 1t has many humor-
Gus page, and many Il Wel!-to!d anecd0ie
provocative OF smiles II Is valuable
contribution TO The history OF sentiment
of personal pride winch no longer moves
men to seek each others lives as the only
balm Tor wounded honor.
The dispositi0n to speak kindly of Adair
WeIcier's literary efforts is strong upon rs,
sirra we are convinced of his sincerity. the
n1ritv of his purpose. and the honesty of
his ambition. But Snob Papers IT. B.
Peterson 4 Bros, Philadelphia is not
book that We can commend To award it
any literary rank would be to commend a
very low order OF writing and to encourage
methods we cannot approve That the
author possesses marked originality IS not
to be denied, nor that he has literary aMl-
itv. But it is trained to III results II 1t IS to
be Judged by this = humorous novel In
q certain degree 1t does present pictures OF
tI,sf = r. Df n