New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE IDEAS OF A HISTORIAN.

write a history of the United States from 400
to 1861 Five volumes covering this peiio" "P
reared between 1882 and 1891. He IS now en-
gagged upon the period Of the CIVIL war ""'
this work has not placed its author III 'ie ms"
40, rank az q historian II has given him an en-
v;ab,e name. and 1t entities him to speak VIII"
much authority upon historical suolec's
In the volume under review, the striking pas
saces in the different essays upon sucn suo'e
as Historical Grouping spirit VI i>e'~
.nd "r,storical Industries" do not always re-
late especially to the topics under cohs''e' 60
So we shall pick up the gems wherever we iinu
,.or, Euerson,s theory was that history is the
record OF the works Of the universal nina vi
.rso THE was q poetic conception. Mr. schoui-
or,s mora nractical view is that history Is
.,raor, flowing onward, widening and branching
In it's flow Downward and onward 'h's III
ne.uous torrent Of human life obeys us o"" 10"
Of sravitation." He holds that the oniy c'e"' 10"
of history is that of motion incessah'i!
and that II any one wishes to make h'"''e.i ="
,,,.r u,,,b any particular period one should not
explore this great stream to its source ou' ''
low II in its onward and downward current
All who believe that hstorography should d.
ways be treated a literary ert VIII "e'o"0
Professor Schouler's protest against inc "'".
.onaoncv n bring together many writer's in the
rolla bOratiOn or history. IiV iNNOS'''
,,est work like H. H. Bancrofts "Pacihc states
NAV he of great value as means OF presei''e
records which might otherwise be lost; pu' he
,orractlv insists that where there are so man!
,,rLnown writer's there cannot be unity or svs-
tom or careful method in the use OF facts Inc
a,vided responsibilities are like numerous I'M
tostened links-not worthless. yet not a chaih.
To ,aments that collectivism. which or la'e
years has become so characteristic OF trace anu
commerce. should be extended to literary "o' NJ
Even history writing factories may nave '"e'
Mace: for facts like fruits and meats tha' may
be canned ought not TO be allowed 10 so "
waste But neither the owners nor tho oper-
atiyes In such factory are entitled 10 the name
., historians nor is the product likely 10 pe
history in the proper sense
A distinguished public man, who nad recently
written a popular but not very prontaoie oioe
raphy once remarked, with smile not Vi sa'''-
toc,,on. 81 have concluded that the historians
occupation Is a most arstocratic and expensive
one. Dr. schouler holds the same opinion; Tor
90, oil literary nursuits" he says. none on the
whole appears so naturally allied TO competent
ars ond pood family . Nor are the
m, a,ties from historical writings. however sue
cessf,l and popular. likely TO remunerate one
GREATLY considering his aggregate outlay; out
rather than in any enh lnced pecuniary ease MS
reward must he looked for in the distinguished
comradeship of the dead and OF the hvins-n
the satisfaction that he has performed eNai'eo
labors faithfully for the good Of his fellow-men'
end found them in his own day fairly appre-
GATED.
knowledge OF the technique OF any craft al
vays enables man Of broad mind TO make
moro nrecise estimate Of the value OF the product
Professor schouler says that one must measure
out his work with exactness, making careiu, es
inmates and work the huge materials into place
besides using his pencil with the dignity anu
grace of an artist. The historian shouid oe an
erchitect For this reason. he counts Glppon as
the foremost among historians: as greater IN
decd than Thucyddes Sallust or any other OF
those classical writer's who have SO lons peen
held I'D for modern reverence In historical
narrative" he maintains 1.-The greatest trump"
ors,sts in tracing out and delineating with color
and accuracy variety or intricate iniiueh0e'
which contribute to the main result Ano WHO
has done this so we'll as the author OF 'he De
cline and Fall of the Roman Empire that great
est Of all historical themes, that most Impressive
and momentous of all human events?
rhora &c an amusing and amiable candor In our
a,,hor,s confession that he has been told tnat
,,s own STYLE is harsh. rough and swashbuckling
7, Is not less divertine when he confdes IN the
reader that there are other critics equally com
netent. who have gone out of their way 10 co'i
mend this same historical composition as warm
vivid in its coloring lucid. epigrammatic ana IN
..o,. Interesting Our own opinion is that
,ve could easily find sentences and paragraphs IN
Professor Schoulers writings that would Illus
trate all these adjectives. except possibly s"ash-
buckling" In fine prose there is smoothhess
and cadence which the ear feels even when the
owe merely hurries from line to line-just as we
tba llmpld
stream as soon as its water. Here ana
there in our historians books one is annoyed
nv harsh sounding or inappropriate words. jerky
nhrases a sentiment or figure that seems TO ex-
Mode rather than to unfold itself gracefully
Whether this is due TO deafness or lack OF care
or both we need not speculate. On the other
hand there is much force and expression in some
of these rough hewn blocks
There IS such a thing being too confidential
and as being more of an example than one may
intend: rAnother worker may produce better
solid books than have done. but he Will hardly
he moved to produce greater number within
the same space of time. or to pre-empt wider
range of research" We are told, further that
IN each case he has regularly contracted with
his publishers to create a book. instead OF hawk
ing about its manuscript when completed: that
he has always been permitted to hand his copy
10 the printers without submitting 1t to any
one for inspection. II have shown my manu-
script TO no one at all for criticism or approval;
nor have I received suggestions in any volume.
even as to literary style and expression, except
upon printed sheets from the casual proof
reader as the book went finally from the
press
The sketch of Francis Parkman is by far the
most pleasing essay in this volume. 1t is pct
uresque. appreciative and graceful. The two
-oo.rs on polk's Diary and his Administration
throw new light upon the character and methods
~ President who has heretofore not been
sufficiently praised for his good qualities nor
adequately condemned for his iniquitous and
subtle scheme to push Mexico into war for the
purpose of robbing her Of territory. The ac-