New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-22

changed IL would seem rather premature 10 look
| for the marked transformation which Is here well
coined in anticipation Three papers, on His
| tory Writing Criticism" and Work" pro-
coed obviously from the literary labors upon which
Mr.. Bancroft has been 30 long engaged The first
Of these may be said to set forth the motives and
principles upon which the historian Of the Pacific
Coast has himself proceeded. No one who is
! familiar with his works can fail to recognize this
In his strong argument for impartiality, the elm
| nation of prejudice and prepossession. and the
vital Importance Of thorough research into the
sources of history 1t is true that very few
historians have had like opportunities with him to
get to the very foundations. for none have had at
command the same wealth Of material. His OBJ
| servations. however. are all the more weighty
this account. for he knows all the difficulty Of
arriving at Trustworthy conclusions in the face
| Of opposed and irreconcilablc statements
| The essay on Criticism" is really critique Of
the critics. and it is hardly competent for one of
the latter to review such paper dspassionately
perhaps. Much Of what Mr. Bancroft says is.
however. not easy TO controvert; and as, accord
| ing to the fashion of poor human nature, assaled
| critics may take refuge among those who are de-
| clared praiseworthy, it is possible that few will
think it worth while to take issue with the essay
ist The case is one in which the French proverb
-"Qui s excuse. s. accusc"-appIics with unmis-
taxable force. There honest critics, says Mr.
| Bancroft. and there dishonest ones Who
ever dissents from such statement inevitably
lays himself open to the suspicion of sympathizing
with, If not of belonging to. the latter Moreover,
critics are supposed TO be pachydcrmatous and
have always been considered fair game for
authors.
| They have. in the present instance at least, the
consolation Of rejecting that the California his
torlan does not 60 the length of one or two modern
| writers and advocate the total extinction Of
criticism, as in some sort sacricgious and wicked
| business. All that he asks is the application Of
fair play, honesty, and some conscientious en-
animation in the exercise OF the critical function
and there are those who may think the proposition
not over-bold or unreasonable though whether il
is practical one, failing a rather radical amend
| lnent in human nature is another question Tie
essay Work" Is the energetic expression of
worker. and perhaps it does not sufficiently take
| into consideration the position of that large class
who appear to have come into the world already
fatigued. 1t is nevertheless positively refresh
| ing vndication Of the blessings of hard work.
and written with sincerity. the best proof Of
which lies in the writer's own remarkable achieve
ments.
| "Mongoanism in America" Is detailed and
| highly graphic and interesting description Of
Chinese life and manners as seen in San Francisco
1t is. think, the fullest and most detailed
account of the kind that has appeared The
| Chinese Quarter of San Francisco has been
[ thoroughly explored from end to end, and every
| thing and everybody In it is put record in
| these pages with almost Photographic minutencss.
Chinese theatres, restaurants, stores, jOsshouscs
! private dwellings, house and street life amuse
ments, games of chance, occupations of every kind
crimes and criminals, industrial and commercial
| atn 1oita md uyif1 I, u1ons
| fidelity to the truth and entire absence of
sensationalism and exaggcration. 1t is really
admirable and altogether reliable picture and its
value is the greater in that it is simply picture
| and not the groundwork for any theories or
speculations or recommendations. The facts speak
| for themselves, and nothing more is needed.
very interesting essay is that on Early California
| Literature" in which, while much useful and
| reconcile INFORMATION is given concerning the
| writers who lived before the American period, the
chief attraction is the portion dealing with those
| who went to California in and after the gold
| discovery. One result of that mOmentous event
was to stimulate local authorship. During the
first twenty-five years more than 200 books about
the Golden State were published, though none of
| them were remarkable for excellence in any
| respect. To write anything like full account
! of California early literature, however would de-
mand intimate acquaintance with Bohemian
society which for many years lived its own life
| in San Francisco which produced q considerable
number of really brilliant writer's; which con-
troed the tone of California literature. such 1t
was, and which has long since wholly disappeared
and been replaced by quite other conditions and
men.
Mr.. Bancroft mentions briefly the majority of
these pioneer journalists and authors, but he could
| not within the limit of such a paper have done
| no eub nd nrobablv nObody
but one of themselves That the time when
neither jealousies nor conventionaties had drawn
apart and broken the comrahcship OF men who
| found mutual abuse in the public prints entirely
compatible with joyous reunions in the evening.
One Of two notable members of this vanished con-
fraternity have somehow escaped Mr.. Bancrofts
notice. and at least is serious OMISSION since
| without him it is quite impossible to form
proper estimate Of one phase Of California humor
1t is not enough to know Derby Pbocniy and
| IIarte, and Dan de guile and Mark Twain and
| Rhodes. 1t is equally necessary to know Ambrose
Biercc who, for original wit and peculiar, half
Rabelaisian, half Swiftian humor, stands wholly
apart, and for subtlcty, versatility, grotesque
fancy and boundlcss yet perfectly grave eAtrava-
gance surpasses every one of his contemporaries
This brilliant and trenchant satirist and humorst
has made his mark upon California literature so
| deep and broad that il is impossible to leave him
out of the account. While attempts to initiate
his inimitable style have uniformly failed, he
NAV none the less be said to have founded
| school. the influence of which has extended at
least as far as Chicago. Bicrce is the most orig
inal writer the Pacific Coast has yet produced, in
fact, and though good deal of an Ishmaelitc,
has exercised very positive influence. Mr.. Ban
croft gives an apprcciative estimate Of Bret
IIarte, though recognizing clearly the limitations
of that pleasant writer's capacity. On the whole,
tile review of the California early writers is ade
ouate and fair Much more could be said about
many of them, ard not without profit; but the
| occasion was not here.
The concluding essay in the volume is called