Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-02

In noticing the appearance of the earlier |
volumes of this admirable collection, we |
took occasion some months ago to CON- |
mend it as by far the most exhaustive and |
altogether the most carefully edited work |
illustrative of American literature yet is
sued. The examination OF volumes seven, |
eight and nine, just out confirm the earlier |
Judgment. The scheme of the books is |
original, and so far as we can ascertain has
not had anything approaching what
may really be called a parallel In |
brief, the ten volumes present what
in the Judgment of the accomplished |
editors are the very best, the choicest ex-
amples of American literary genius
and scholarship. II must be understood
that the work is not treatise no analysis
of STYLES, no dissertations upon literary
growth, no comparisons, are INDUCED in.
Instead are given the best examples of the
literature of wisely defined periods, with
the name of the author, the date and place
Of his birth and the political station, II
any, that he filled, together with informa-
ton concerning the work from which the
extract is made. There accompany these
examples very many finely executed steel
plate and wood engraved portraits of the
great lights of American literature. The
division into periods is in this order: Early
colonial literature. 1607-l675; later colo
NAL literature, 1675-l764. The literature
of the revolutionary period, 1765-17S7;
literature of the Republic, 178S-18S9. This
arrangement affords the reader d view of
the course of our literature from the out
set, and the written product of each period
is charged with the temper and condition
of its time, as the authors announced
would be their aim. That they have sue
ceeded in surrounding each division with
IL, 20 "a
upon a cursory examination. To illustrate:
the period of the early colonial literature
of our country must reflect in such a work
the argonautic spirit of the early voyagers,
who first gained foothold upon the shores
of the continent. These tales must give US,
as is done in these volumes. a good idea of
the quality OF the pioneers, the choicest of
which is, in the opinion of Mr.. Stedman
displayed in the Jamestown and Plymouth
narratives. The later colonial literature is
favored less with adventure Astounding
rather in religious thought. and political
and economic discussion. The literature
of the revolutionary period IS that of the
heroic and patriotic, and illustrates the
thought spirit and expression; the politi-
cal wisdom; the eloquence and the eX-
pounding by iurists and advocates of law.
In this period, too the literature of Ameri-
can journalism, and of American romance
and song first took prominence. From the
close OF the war up to 1885, was the brill.
liant period of American oratory, and of
the greatest of our novelists and poets.
From the latter date to the present, the
literature of the nation is more diversified;
illustrates wider and more numerous fields
of thought; introduces US to the Wit and
the democratic freedom of Americans, and
brings US into mental contact with the in
H.,
work under examination is a mirror of
four great eras of our literature, presenting
the romantic, historic, poetic, oratorical,
legal and clerical developments Of author
ship, typified by expression in the pulpit, at
the bar and in the forum, and In the writ
ten literature of the American age. Such a
work has a value to the literary man
of high order, but we conceive for it
much more important and all but incalcu-
liable value to the great mass of the people
with whom literary research is not voca-
ton. Not one in ten thousand can possess
libraries sufficiently yoluminous 10 enable
him to revel in the literature of all the
periods of our history; not more than one
in a thousand has access to libraries so
comprehensive and well stocked as to en-
able him to breathe in the literary atmos-
phere of these periods. But with such a
work as this within reach of the multitude
the key to the storehOuse of American lit
erary genius is in the hands of hundreds of
thousands of the people. The work ought
to be easily accessible to the scholars of all
schools; it should find a place in every
library, in every township, town and city
library, and every teacher of youth should
be able to place his hand readily upon any
one of its volumes. For herein he will
find inspiration and example, and by
its aid he can direct the reading, cultivate
the spirit of the scholars and inform their
intelligence concerning the literature of
their country, which is q reflex of condi-
tons, civilization. heroism, trial triumphs,
patriotic thought and stimulation, the ro-
nance and the poetic spiIit of the master
minds of America 1t is, since We are Just
flied in warmly commencing the volumes,
list to the editors to say that the examples
they have chosen are each complete; they
are not mere extracts and passages, but are
full ESSAYS. speeches. tales, poems, etc.,
upon the subjects treated. The volumes
are royal octave of from 800 to 600 pages
each, and thus present nearly 5000 pages
in the aggregate. geographically the
work is delight to the eye and satisfac
ton to the cultivated taste.
The November Magazine of American
History" Martha J. Lamb, New York
must be seen to be appreciated. 1t is rich
with timely and readable papers, tour of
which are illustrated. The frontispiece is
a new portrait of Charles Carroll, of Car
rollton. The opening al ticle is sketch of
the interesting home of this last surviving
signer of the Declaration of independence.
by the editor. The second illustrated con-
tribution is "A Chapter from the History of
Utah." by Hubert Howe Bancroft. The
Rise of a Great Masonic Library in Iowa"
forms the third article. The Stone I'M
ages of San Augustin," By Lieutenant
Henry R. Lemly, q. S. a, will interest
antiquarians and scientists. Some of the
Beginnings of Delaware" by Rev. William
W. Taylor 1.-The First Iron Works in
America, by Nathan NJ. Hawkes.; "a
Relic of Braddocks Field by Zenas Nc
Donald; "Oliver Pollock's Connection with
the Conquest of Illinois in 177S" by Hor-
ace Edwin Hayden; 1.-THE Thrilling Story
of British Surgeons Imprisonment in the
Revolution" by Adrian Van Sinderen, and
Land of My Birth, q poem by W. l.
Crandall, complete the principal articles of
a superb number.
The contents of the November Forum
are American Rights in Behring Sea-
by J. B. Angel; Public Opinion and the
Civil Service" by E. L. Godkin, editor of
the New York Ereaing Post; Modern
Claims Upon the Pulpit, by the Very Rev.
+. w. Farrar, Archdeacon of Westminster
1.-The Owners of the United States, by
Thomas G. Sherman. The article tells the
wealth of each OF the seventy richest Amerl-
cans; industrial Cooperation in England"
by Professor F. G. Peabody of Harvard
a study made in England of the practical
workings of the system; Municipal Con-
troll of Gas Works. by Bronson G. Keller;
f.Tbe Cosf of Universities nv President
David J. Hill of the University of Roches-
ter: wendell Phillips as an Orator" by
Rev. Carlos Martyr; Requirements of Ma
tional Defense" by Adjutant- General J. C.
Kelton; 1.-THE Domain of Romance, by
Maurice Thompson; Types of American
Women" by Professor H. H. Boyesen of
Columbia College.
The Atlantic Monthly" for November,
Honrhtnn. Miflin 4 Co. Boston. presents