Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-04
OVER THE SUMMIT.
A Great Enterprise on the Down
Grade TO COmplettOn.

A Great Enterprise on the Down
Grade TO CompletiOn.
In the earlier period of the history
OF Hubert Howe Bancroft, Thomas
Carlyle characterized the work as
tsextremely interesting" 1t has truly
been SO from the outset, but we ap-
prehend that to most persons, especi-
ally those who have not very great
leisure or special taste for historical
research, the later volumes which
trench upon our own times, are OF
still more interest.
Take for instance the last volume
which came from the press in which
the History Of Mexico" is COM
pleted. 1t has been a pleasure to
read this volume, in order to analize
it for the information of our patrons
and the public at large, who, perhaps,
have not yet had the opportunity to
give it special investigation.
A criticism of this book would be
in many respects criticism OF the
entire work. 1t is so much like the
rest in the roughness OF research and
clearness of narrative, while it is as
strongly indivdualized and as differ
ent from the other volumes, as the
character Of the subject requires and
leads us naturally to expect.
Our neighboring Republic, in which
the conditions are so different from
those which prevail in the United
States OF America, has had its annals
traced by Mr.. Bancroft, beginning
with the traditions and fragmentary
remains of Aztec life. All along the
line he has exhausted the libraries OF
Europe and America, in order to
command complete information, so
far as this could be had, at the same
time being enabled by this wealth OF
data to &C ndense and crystalline. His
last volume presents Mexico in the
light under which that country is
most interesting to American citizens
at this time. The old spirit OF revo-
luton is dead. Now comes an era of
development; slow, but giving prom
ise of advancement that ultimately
may be compared with the progress
in this country.
There are many inquirers among
our citizens regarding the substantial
inducements and attractiveness Of
Mexico, as field for the investment
of capital, and in some rarer instances,
as place for homes Mr.. Bancroft
shows that for the latter object Mexico
is not a tempting country for the form
er, he shows by what has been done
that large portion OF Mexico is ter
ritory in which capital may be invest
ed by those who have no better
opportunities in the United States
Among the difficulties to be contend
ed against in the Mexican Republic
in the way Of putting great industria
enterprises on foot are to be consid
cred always these two things: The
instability Of the Government, anC
the lack Of cooperation among the
Mexican people. In other respects, {
careful perusal OF Mr.. Bancroft's his
tory convinces us that the capitals
who goes there from the United State!
to make money is running away from
his opportunities Still, this is moi
50 sharply stated by him as by our
selves. His history deals with facts,
and it is feature of his narrative al
all points to leave inferences or con
clusions to the intelligent reader.
There is no volume in existence re-
lating to Mexico that we can Offer
with more assurance to the student oi
that country's industrial history than
Mr.. Bancroft's. He leaves nothing
unsaid that is requisite to give us {
full and satisfactory view of mining
manufactures and fisheries, com
merce and railroads, agricultural re
sources, ecclesiastical affairs MOI
does he neglect the social and educa.
tional status Of the people, which is
always a feature of interest tt
strangers. He touches upon the
most interestingly historical of the
latest Mexican epochs in such man
ner as to bring out the actors in th'
Maximilian drama with great clear
ness and graphic force. His pen por
trait Of Maximilian himself is ON
that presents the unfortunate prime,
before us as we might have expectet
to see him for ourselves, had we beel
present in the streets of Mexico whel
the crisis came upon him. Nor is Mr.
Bancroft's description Of the distressed
and mentally overwhelmed Carlott;
less true or vivid. We seem to follow
her away from Mexico to her interview
with Napoleon, carrying part of tn
melancholy load that she bears in he
journeying.
It is with much neighborhood prid.
and appreciation Of the work done TO
the cause of American letters an,
education by Mr.. Bancroft that W,
thus notice his last published work
It is not out Of order, in this connec
ton, to state that the CO ossal enter
prise, which has commanded the ad
miration and applause of historica
students and other readers in ever
sphere Of life, and which has beef
moving forward on straight line fo
the last twenty-five years, has nov
passed its summit and is vereinI
towards completion.
Before the work is done, however
i il NJ. Bancroft's ambition to max.