The herald., 1894-03-18
TBY L. BEHYMER |

Releb. fflOoi III OlObnt PI.oU
Almost every reader of this paper is
either personally acquainted with the
author, Mr. Charles F. Lummis, or
known him from reading his interesting
historical and descriptive books.
In speaking Of The Spanish Pioneers,
Ad. f. Bandelier, the historian, says:
The views presented in this book have
already tsken their place in historical
literature. but they are certainly alto
gether new ground for popular work.
Because it is new, some who have not
fully followed the recent march OF scien-
ti6c investigation may fear that it is not
authentic. can only say that the esti-
mates and statements embodied in this
volume are strictly true, and that hold
myself ready TO defend them from the
standpoint OF historical science.
do this not merely from the motive
OF personal regard toward the author,
but especially in view OF the merits OF
his work, its value for tina youth OF the
present and OF the coming genera
tions.
Mr.. Lummis says concerning the
motive which led him to compile this
interesting volume, that lit is because /
believe every other young Saxon-Ameri-
can loves fair play and admires heroism
as much as l do. that this book has been
written. That we have not given justice
to the Spanish pioneers is simply be-
cause we have been misled. They made
record unparalleled, but our text books
have not recognized that iact, though
they no longer dare dispute it, Now,
thanks to the New School OF American
rt0 n a
truth which every manly American will
be glad to know. Ia this country OF
free and brave men, rsce-prejudice, the
most ignorant of all human ignorances,
must die out. We must respect man.
hood more than nationality, and ad-
mire 1t for it's own sake wherever found,
and il is found everywhere. The deeds
that hold the world up are not of any
one blood. We may be born anywhere,
that is a mere accident; but TO be he-
roes we must grow by means which are
not accidents, not provincialisms, but
the birthright and glory OF humanity.
We love manhood; and the Spanish
pioneering OF the Americas Was the long
est and largest and most marvellous sfeat
OF manhood in all history. 1t WAS not
possible for Saxon boy to lsarn that
truth in my boyhood it is enormously
lessness OF trying TO get from any or all
English textbooks a just picture of the
Spanish hero ia the new world made
me resolve that no other young Amer
ican lover OF heroiem and justice
shall need to gropa so long in
the dark as l had to; and for
thssv interesting s6issaaoRfes intnna5f8
thank me less thansthat friend of us
both, F. A. Bandelier, the master of the
new school. Without the light shed on
early America by the scholarship of this
great pupil of Humboldt my book could
not have been written-nof BY me with
out his generous personal aid" Fol-
lowing this MIR. Lummis opens up The
Broad Story with the Pioneer Ma
ton, how America was found and
tanned, taking Columbus as the finder,
and making the geography of the new
country as be narrates the chapters of
conquest. He speaks in glowing terms
of the new land and its conQuerors, OF
Cortez and Pizarro, of Valdivia and
Queeada, all Caesars OF the New World,
conquering each an inconceivable will
derness as savage as Caesar and his iron
legions OF Rome found, and five times as
big.
After the chapter of conquest follows
one on putting the girdle round the
world, with one devoted to Spain in the
United States. Then follows the mas
tering' of the two continents, and the
Spanish pioneers, the storming OF the
wondrous rock of Acoma, the strange
sky-city OF the Qu6res Pueblos. He
next takes up the subject of the pioneer
missionaries and the church builders
of New Mexico. One of the most
interesting chapters contains an accurate
description OF the wonderful leap made
by Captain Pedro de Avarado during
the retreat from the City of Mexico.
One of the mythical chapters is devoted
to the American Golden Fleece or the
Fable OF the Gilded Man. The last few
chapters are probably the strongest and
comprise a history of Francisco Pizarro.
the swineherd of Truxillo, after
ward Pi2arro the great, the conqueror of
Peru. A good description is given of
Peru as it was, the golden ransom given
Pizarro and the treachery of Atahualpa.
Altogeter it is q well.written book, and
Hhowe the reader what debt of grati-
tude the American people owe the brave
colonizers, the Spanish pioneers.
as
From the Putnams' press comes the
last issue of The Story of the Nation
series on Japan, which is explained and
described by DR.. David Murray, late ad-
wiser to the Japanese minister OF edu-
cation. The reader who has lust laid
down Professor Blumner's book on An.
cient Greece will be struck by one
point of resemblance between the two
nations. With a totally different con-
ception Of the beautiful, both Greek
and Japanese show passion
ate love of art. In Japan.
the homes of the poorest classes
display artistic touches, and every child
is born with an innate, unswervinp
sense of beauty and the fitness ofthings.
An American may not enjoy the ma
tional habit of squatting habitually on
mat or sleeping on the floor in a corner
on a mattress that is rolled up
by day, but housekeeping is sim
plihed thereby. And ii he prefer
solid walls to sliding screens, he
must remember that to expand
ones rooms at will is undeniably CON
venient. Certainly, to study the man
nere and customs OF people who do all
things as we should not expect them to,
Is fascinating occupation. Mr.. Muir !
rays book is careful but never dull. He |
admits that the early history OF the |
country ID plainly unhistorical, but gives |
the tradItIOu1 for what fhav ara vUorkh |