The Irish standard., 1891-01-24
GEORGE BANCROFT NO MORE
The Great American Historians Career
is Terminated by Death at an
Advanced Age.
AN OUTLINE OF HIS LIFE's WORK.
No Engllsb-speaklng Historian Of the
Present Day Equalled Elm in
Impartiallty.

"~~A"~~ =
lmpartiallty.
George Bancroft, Che eminent histO.
rian, died in Washington, %. c., on
Jan. IT, and notwithstanding his ad-
vanced age. his demise was unexpected
and cast the entire nation into gloom,
He regarded his life work as finished
two years ago, aud Of late had done no
literary work.
| During the last decade he had re-
vised his great work. the history OF the
| United States. going over it in a severe
Iy critical stvle and eliminating the
flowers OF rhetoric in the earlier work.
His lasc production was a history of the
formation of the Constitution. Ha un
dertook to write history o3 President
Pok's administration, in whose cabinet
he served as secretary OF the navy, but
was compelled to abandon it.
MR BANCRoFTs CAREER.
George Bancroft was born at Worces-
ter, Mass. October 3. 1890. He was
son Of one OF the most respect
able and highly esteemed families
in that section of the state. His
parents, like nost of tho natives of
New England. looked upon good edu
cation as the one thing nepdful to a
young man in order to enable HIM to
work out his own salvation IN the world
of struggles and banf1-to hand conflicts.
He entered Harvard in 1918 and
graduated IN 1917 Almost immediately
afterwards he went abroad, where he
remained for i've years, STUDYING at
Gnbtingen aud Berlin, and travelling
through Germany, Italy, Switzerland.
and Great Britain, when be made the
personal acquaintance OF MANY OF the
aeadIng European scholars He re-
celyed the degree Of Ph. ID. at Coffin
gen in 1870, aud returning to America
in 1922 was for a wear Crock tutor in
Harvard. At that time DR.. Cogawell
wrote from Leipsic: SIT was sad part
ing, too, from little Bancroft. lie is
a most interesting youth and is 10 make
Que Of our great men, The young
student ssas not yet 20 years when he
received the degree OF Ph D, from the
University of Gottingen, an unparallel-
cd distinction. Among his German
friends he recknned Schleiermacher,
Won Humboldt, Varnhegen Won Ense,
and Goethe.
In 1923. in connection with DR.. Joseph
Cogswell, he founded The Round Hill
school at Northampton, Mass. The
Same year he published volume of
poems and In 1924 translation of
Hereen's ''Politics OF Ancient Greece. !"
He was at this time meditatHng and
collecting materials for his History Of
the u uited Seates," the first volume of
which appeared in 1884. In 1885 he
removed to Springfield. Mass, where
he resided for three wears. and COM
pletea the second volume Of his history.
In 1885 he was appointed Collector of
the port Of Boston, a position which he
held until 1911. being also a freq
speaker at political meetings aud still
keeping up his historical labors. The
third volume Of his history appeared IN
1S40 In 1874 he was the Democratic
candidate for governor Of Massachu-
setts, but was not elected. Ia 1845 he
entered Polk's cabinet a, secretary of
the navy and also served for month
al acting secretary Of war.
In 1915 he was sent as minister to
Great Britain, wnere he successfully
urged upon the British Government
the adoption Of more liberal navigation
laws, and was especially earnest in
vindicating the rights OF persons nat
uraIizsd as citiz ,ns Of the United States.
During his residence in Europe ne
made use Of everv opportunity to perfect
his collection OF documents relating to
American history. lie returned to the
Uuited States in 1919. took up his resi-
dence IN New York and set about the
preparation Of t,e remainder Of his
history. The fourth and fifth volumes
were published in 1852, the sixth ap-
peared IN 1854. the seventh III 1855 the
eighth in 1860, the ninth in 1886 and the
tenth aud last in 1874. Tnis brings the
narrative to the close of the revolution
ary war and completes tue body of the
work. Two supplementary volumes
were issued in 1882 under the title,
History OF the Foundation of the
Constitution Of the United States"
After his return from Europe he for
many wears devoted himself wholly to
literary labor.
In February, 1865. he delivereed be-
fore congress an address In memory Of
Abraham Lincoln. In May. 1867, he
was appointed minister to Prussia. In