The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-30
THE CRITICS CORNER.
DEVOTED TO COMMENT UPON RE.
CENT PUBLICATIONS..
"Bisiory of the United ststss"-"songs OF
the Soil.' by Frank l.. Stnnton-oth-
er New Books.

HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES,
With Maps. BY +. Benjamin An
drews. President of Brown University.
Charles Scribner's Sons New York.
Two volumes. 81. For sale by West,
Johnston Il Co.
In spite OF the fact that many and eX-
cellent histories OF the United States nave
been written, the merits Of this, by Pro-
lessor Andrews. are, we think, destined
to win for it permanent popularity not
among educators and students only bu:
with the general reader.
1t is accurate thorough. not diftuse, not
garruIous. and the writer has evidently
prohted by the perusal OF It's predeces-
sors--all good, number admirable, put
few covering so much ground with such
directness OF style.
Mr.. Andrews deVotCs his Introductory OF
seven and half pages to comment upon
the American continent prior TO the day
on which the indomitable Genoese set
foot upon its virgin shores, then proceeds
with what ne terms a "fOre-history OF
our c0untry-i. G., the history OF Inc set
tlement and growth of the colonies, ana OF
their life up to the time when they De
came indeed the United states OF Amerl-
ca" THE fore-histOry,' says he Is eH-
hiOited in sharp separation from me
United States history proper, Gaining due
attention to what is too commonly MISSED
the truly epochal character OF me adop-
ton OF our prese IT Constitution, IN l'sS.
The history of the United states proper
is divided into five periods by MIR. An
drews. The United States under the Con
stitution: " higS aud Democrats, until Inc
dominance of the slavery controversy,
the years OF slavery CONTROVERSY civil
war and reconstruction. and the cement
ed Union. In recording the events OF these
periods he has contented himself to 4
great degree with the simple statement
of well-authentcated fact. ana has whlle
following the logically linked chain OF
cause and effect with the keen percep-
ton of a careful and painstaking student,
done little philosophizinG end rejecting
Indeed. had he adhered just degree less
closely TO direct and simple statement,
and thrown a shade more of himself into
his certainly fine work, it is probable that
his book would have gaind in attractive
ness to the general reader; it needs moth
Ing TO make it valuable to the student.
The maps are excellent, and the me
chanical work. as is invariably true or
Messrs. Scribncr's sons publications, IS
faultless.
THE PLAY ACTRESS, BY s. r. Crock
EFT G. p. Putnams Sons, New
York. For sale by West Johnston
& Co.
The author of "The Sticket Minister
has already won place in the esteem Of
all who are capable of approaching in
this day of viciously suggestive novel
81 H. &c ut
racy. original and clean. The present
story is worth reading. not because IT
possesses any special force or originality,
Tor il does not but because its morale
is exquisite Miss Upton ana the aged
preacher. il they do not show the touch OF
a vigorous literary artist in their por-
travail certainly show Mr. Crocketts con-
Ceptions of what IS admirable IN charAc-
ter TO be Of such character mat 70
reader can be other than ennobled by
acquaintance with them. The same can
assuredly not be said OF many more brit
liant writers.
THE PLAY Actress" is a Scotch story,
the story OF a wfIful and only son.
reckless marriage a vite's untruth, =
wrctched husband death, n tiny child $
adoption BY the father OF Us father,
through play actress the Miss Upton
OF the story. II is the nobility. the ffeH-
~. the passionate loyalty of this last TO
her degraded sister and that sisters
child upon which the story turns. win
an entire lack OF probability in its plot.
il is nevertheless. as We have Just sald'
most attractive AMI most elevating.
THE CRUsADES. story Of the Nations
Series. BY T. 4. Archer and Charles
L. Kingeford. G. =. Putnam $ sons.
New York. London. For sale 10y
West, Johnston x CO.
This contribution to the admirable He
roes of the Nations" Series is. without en-
ception. one of the very finest of the Sc
ries we have yet seen. The period with
which II deals has always had iasci-
nation for the general reader, as well as
for poets and noVelsts. II Is fdScina-
zion which but increases as our iamilan-
~ with the times and the men theE
made or the men who made them' IN
creases. In the present Volume' neat
and durable as to binding. excellent as TO
nrInt. paper and illustrations, We are en-
abled 10 make our acquaintance WIN
these times through the medium OF
literary style which it Is IN no degree an
exagCeration to say is really dehshttul.
NIessrs Archer and Kiugsford have evil
IDENTIFY devoted great care TO research
and into their book have thrown their at
tractive mass yielding nothing 10 accu-
racv 10 a desire 10 be vivid IN presenting
history hut combining both ndeHtN TO
FACT and vigor of style 10 an uhusudi ue-
gree. e., ,l...
the subtitle The Story Of the LiIih Ming
dom OF Jerusalem, IN order 10 ihdhe IL
clear al the outset that We are mere con-
cernad only with the Crusades when are
crusades in the proper sense OF the word
with the fourth Crusade, the Latlh Eh-
pire OF Constantinople, ana SUN IHoi
with those developments or perVersiohs vi
the crusadinE idea which leu 10 the So
called crusades against the AIblsehsldhS
and the Emperor Frederick. We nave noun
inc 10 do. in making the story OF the
Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem the MAN
thread OF the narrative, stress has lnteh-
ticnallv been laid on an important L
comparatively unfamiliar side OF cfuSdd-
ing history. The romance and glamour
OF crusading expeditions has often causeu
the practical achievements Of CRUSADERS
in the East to be overlooked or UNDER
rated Yet II is through the history or
the kingdom OF Jerusalem that the true
character and Importance or the 'Fu-
sades can alone he discerned
II was due 10 the illness OF Mr.. Archer
that Mr.. KnSsford's services I'm the COM
ptetton of the history-but little more
than begun when the former gentleman
was attacked by illness-were enlisted.
'Tnere is scarcely "A chapter in the MS
tory which does not represent the work
of both, but there are none OF the faulis
apparent which might naturally be sup
posed to result from Joint authorship thus.
The book is admirable from start TO
70 fDHTnHgh