The herald., 1898-02-06

olutionary war itself, the time covering
| a period from 1858 to 1888. Among the
characters are Washington, Franklin,
Lafayette, Benedict Arnold and Major
Andre. The hero. Hugh Wynne, is the
son of Philadelphia Quaker, descended
from good English stock, and his mother
"a most exquisite character-is French.
Hugh chafes under the restraints of the
Society of Friends and is finally read out
of meeting. He becomes soldier serv-
ing at one time on the staff of Benedict
Arnold when the latter was in command
OF the American forces in Philadelphia.
He was captured at the battle of Ger
mantown and suffered for months in a
British prison. Later, while on the staff
of General Washington, he takes part in
the battle of Yorktown and witnesses
the surrender of CORVALLIS.
The story, throughout which runs a
strong love element, is direct, simple,
and told in the first person, which adds
greatly to its power and interest. The
book has been criticised for historicalin-
accuracies, notably by the Nation, in q
recent issue. But let it be understood
that such a work need only be semi
historical, especially when it is in the
form of an autobiography. The char
| acters are all alive and perform their al
lotted parts very nearly in admittedly
historic orbits, while the social atmos-
phere of the old days is very realistic
and charming. 1t does not say the least
word on the subject of our revolutionary
history, nor is it the great American
| novel; but it comes into the front rank
of novels, and will remain worthy con-
tribution to American literature.
O O O
FIFTY YEARS OF MASONRY IN
CALIFORNIA;; San Francisco.
George Spaulding & Co.
| While the title of this splendid work,
which is being issued in parts, indicates
| it's general scope, careful examination
| is necessary in order to estimate it's
true value. 1t is handsomely printed on
heavy paper and the portraits are the
| finest of steel engravings, while the
other illustrations are in full keeping
with the general character of the work.
| AS a general Introduction there is a
general history of Masonry. AS the mat
ter on the part cover declares, From
| the commencement of the world we
trace the foundation of Masonry" Then
there are chapters on the early history
of Masonry in this country, describing
the intimate connection of Masonry and
| Masons with the struggle for libery that
gave us our great republic. Later the
history of Masonry in California is
| reviewed, the grand lodge, and following
the subordinate lodges of the state.
The work is published in monthly
parts at $12 year and as the record and
| iII1I nf 10 in T.
| Is invaluable.
RISE OF MACHINES AND BOSSES
| Misgovernment in the United States is
an incident in the history of commerce,
says John Jay Chapman in the February
Atlantic. The growth and concentration
of capital which the railroad and the tel
egraph made possible is the salient fact
| in the history of the last quarter
century. That fact Is at the bottom Of
our political troubles. 1t hap
pened that the beginning of the period
| found the machinery of our government
| in particularly purchasable state.
The war had left the people divided into
two parties which We're fanatically hos
| tile to each other. The people were party
| mad. Party name and party symbols
| We're of an almost religious Importance
| The situation as it existed was
made to the hand of trade. Political
power had, by the war, been condensed
and packed for delivery; and in the
natural course of things the political
trade marks began to find their way into
| the Golfers of the capitalist. The change
of motive behind the party organiZa-
tions-from principles to money-was
silently effected during the thirty years
| which followed the war. Like all organic
change it was unconscious. 1t was un-
| derstood by no one. 1t is recorded only
| in few names and phrases; as, for in
stance, that part of the organization
which was purchased was called the
| machine" and the general manager of
| it became known as the "boss." The eX-
ternal political history of the country
continued as before. 1t is true that q
steady degradation was to be seen in
public life, steady failure of character,
a steady decline of decency. But ques-
tions continued to be discussed and in
| form decided, on their merits, because it
was in the interest of commerce that
they should in form be so decided. Only
quite recently has the control of money
| become complete, and there are reasons
for believing that the climax is now
passed.