The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-04
A New History of America.

The task Of writing the story Of a ma
tons development and achievements is
one that taxes the patience as well as the
ability OF the historian, for IT involves the
necessity OF painstaling research, lib
eral temperament, and yet a keen ap-
probation of the relative importance Of
events both in the near and more remote
past. When Edward S. Ellis, a. NJ, the
the author of several works OF a semi
historical character, essayed TO undertake
such an enterprise. he indisputably had
in his minds eye the production of Sc
ries of books that would meet the popular
idea of what a history should be. lie has
prepared in six volumes THE Peo-
pies Standard History of the United
states" and the result OF his evidently con-
scientious labor viii undoubtedly be salts
factory to those who have no liking for
work which is strictly prosaic and in cpl
tomized form. In every way the new his
tory is calculated 10 appeal TO the general
tastes Of the people at large. and there
fore TO those for whom it was published,
as indicated by the title
Az toohS hahlsOAlttg cGtu
volume having frontispiece in colors,
and being profusely illustrated, the pic
lures representing the efforts of w. H.
Lippincott, H. a. Ogden. A. b. Doggett
De Cost Smith, W. 7. Snyder. C. Ven
drick. c. NJ Relyea, J. Steeple Davis, JOS
eph Gleeson, w. II. Drake. Warren Shep-
pard, ". c. Filter, Gilbert Gaul, and 9th
ers. The illustrations are on the average.
in harmony with the text, and many a
scene that fingers in the memory as hav-
ing been impressed upon the youthful
mind In days OF yore is depicted with re-
freshing vigor.
The initial volume of the new history
deals with the period from the landing of
the Norsemen-who visited the New World
ere Columbus memorable voyage Of dis
covery-to the beginning of Pontiac's In
dian war in 1863 Volume ii continues the
story Of Indian hostility and carries the
events up TO the Van Buren, Administra-
ton, 1874. In Volume III the Harrison
and Tyler Administrations form the open
ing chapter and the book concludes with
the civil war events In the East in 1863.
The war between the States takes seven
more chapters Of Volume " which ends
with an account OF the Harrison Admins
tration. Clevelands second Administra-
tion opens Volume V, the concluding
chapter of which carries the reader into
the records and events OF the present Ad-
ministration. A large part OF Volume and
vi is devoted to the war with Spain,
which, with other stirring happenings OF
the past decade. is treated very fully and
amply adorned with interesting half-tone
and other pictures.
Mr.. Ellis has divided his history into
the following periods, beginning with the
earliest discoveries of America in the
year A. ID. 1000: Discovery and Explora-
tion Colonization and Settlement; England
and France In America; the Republic and
the Constitution; Consolidation and Expan-
sion; the War for the Union; the new
United States, and our Colonial Expansion.
In the development of his work he has
shown a comprehensive study Of all the
leading references necessary to the ella
boration OF the countr:'s history In pecu-
liarly entertaining style. To a wealth of
and typographical ornament,
with interesting maps, he has added a text
OF easy flowing narrative which in many
places runs more like a romance than a
history, although IL retains fidelity TO the
basic facts and does not lose sight Of the
importance of the events proper In the use
and elaboration OF incidents that have fig
ured In song, poem, and drama. The his