Daily inter mountain., 1900-10-22

slice of history. But in that time few
works have been compiled more critical
in their nature than have been written
before.
Chambers Cyclopaedia is also a schol-
arly and authoritative work, but like the
| Britannica it is English in its point of
view. The latest esttion is about as re-
cent as Johnson, but the majority
of the sets-even of those that are being
sold today are from ten to twenty years
old.
very useful cyclopaedia in one vol
u1ne is Hampers Book of Facts. This is
not of value to the student who is looking
for information in any fullness but is of
much use to one who wishes to obtain
any definite statistical information. 1t
consists simply of Hayden's Dictionary
of Dates. revised to 1895 and enlarged
by the incorporation of articles on art,
science and allied topics.
But while of value in respect to infor-
nation. the objection to any cyclopaedia
is that any article contained therein is
but an abstract of the subject. Literary
flavor, Acknowledgement of authority
and fullnesS are sacrificed to an attempt
to bring the material within a given
number of pages. Where the article is
signed, the sources are not referred to,
and the reader must take the authority of
the editor of the work for the reliability
of the information. In these days of
critical historical work it is necessary for
the student to study the great historians,
and to have some knowledge of each.
What a writer mentions in his book must
be weighed in the balance and estimated
in reference to the characteristics of his
style and the facilities he enjoyed for OBJ
tanning information. If he is enthusiast
tic, one must consider how far such en-
thusiasm is justifable. If he is partial
one must allow for such partiality and if
possible consult some author whose coll
oring is toward the other side of the
problem. If his authority is not original
it is desirable to find the record of some
contemporary writer
To one who wishes to find the best
criticisms of the leading historians, the
most valuable help is Adams Manual of
Historical LITERATURE" new edition Of
this work is desirable every few years,
but the latest edition obtainable is al
ways of value.
But more complete in it's historical in
format tion than any cyclopedia can be.
and free from most of the objections
that can be made to the cyciopedia in
Larned's History For Ready Reference"
This book contains extracts from 5000
volumes and references ITO 1000 volumes
concerning the history of nearly all inn
portant topics. The history of each
country is given by itself and many cross
references add to the value Of the work.
A very large number of historical maps
-l,;l
line is given to each country which sum-
marizes the history of that country for
the reader who wishes first general
view.
In this article 1T has been possible to
call attention only to the historical work
of the different clubs, and this portion
has been selected because it is funda-
mental to the other work. Books 50 far
have been mentioned THAT will be useful
to all. It should be mentioned that the
most complete narrative of American his
tory and one that in it's editor has the
authority of a great historical scholar,
is Winsors Narrative and Critical His
tory of America" which fills eight large
volumes. There is no sucl complete and
authoritative work in the English Ian
guage respecting German or English
history. The most satisfactory popular
| history of the United States is "Scrib-
ners History of the United States" the
| authors of which We're William Cullen
Bryant, Sidney Howard Gay and Noah
Brooks, while for special periods the
| books by John F'iske, John B. MacMas-
Ater, Henry Adams and James F. Rhodes
are readable and reliable.
For English history the most authori-
tative popular work is Green's History
of the English People" and the general
histories by Guizot and Knight are ex-
cellent, while very limited period is
treated in most fascinating manner and
very fully by Macauey, whose intense
partisa nship rather adds to the interest
of his narrative.
No work in the English language od
sufficient fullness and historical authori.
ty appropriately to represent the great
record of the German people. Many ex-
cellent works are available on the specia.
! periods of the nation. One on the most
conlmendable features of the prnnled pro.
grammes OF the Homer cfnb and OF the
Woman's Literary club OF Anaconda i.
the excellent list of books i'm each men
toned for the use of the members.