New-York tribune., 1900-09-29

His style is direct, luminous and has the power
Of making everything he discusses seem inter
esting and clear. This is familiar the read
ers Of his earlier historical works, and is all de-
lightfully exhibited again in his latest addition
10 that structure which he is building of Ameri-
can colonial history. The Dutch and Quaker
Colonies in America" fills in the gap between
his preyious volumes The Beginnings of New
ENGLAND" and Virginia and Her Neighbors.
He has prediction for the Dutch Their in
huence in America he regards as permanent
one OF the greatest moment. Their coming In
troduced an element Of variety that has always
been Of the highest interest and Importance. The
cosniopolitanism Of New-York. in his view is not
altogether a consequence of the city's CONNER
cial growth but is in great part a direct in
heritanoe from the mother city at the mouth Of
the Amstel which Fenelon was fain TO believe
the common city of all the peoples in the world,
and the centre Of their commerce" Many things
in American life are implicated with the fact
that New-York is the daughter Of New-Amster-
dam The Dutch brought their influence to
America not only directly. but as we'll through
the English people. Mr.. Fiske devotes many
pages 10 a lucid and instructive summary OF the
rise Of Dutch power in the Middle Ages its
influence upon the neighbors across the North
Sea the work Of the Dutch in the extension Of
commercial enterprise and particularly their
great part in the quest of the northwest passage
70 China To this quest is due the discovery of
the Hudson and Manhattan. Mr.. Fiske's discus
sion Of the voyages Of Verrazzano. Hudson and
others. and Of the views of the early navigators,
as indicated by their maps. is original and
curious
The alleged B9otian characteristics Of the
Dutch form the subject of several amusing
pages Of rebuttal. this view came TO America
from England for the implication that there is
l,a;v,e 9fr an &
older than Irving's Knickerbocker: ii gives. in
fact a clev to the invention Of those chronicles.
No doubt il was as suggested TO the seven
teenth century rivalry between the Dutch and
the English that this feeling was due, for neigh
boring or closely related communities are apt TO
make i'll natured or patrOnizing concentrations
about one another We are not surprised after
this 10 find the historian concerned to set right
the regulations Of the early Dutch Governors
Of New-A Amsterdam. who. he thinks, have SUI
fered unduIy from the kindly caricaturing OF
Irving Minuit was eminently just. honora-
bic and sensible man. who knew how not only TO
control the settlers but to deal with the sur
rounding Indians His successor Wouter Van
Twiller was indeed person Of slender quali1-
cations for the place; but he had certain features
of strength and sense that are lost in the ridi-
cule with which he is covered by the learned
Knickerbocker. His well known irresolution.
that doubling" with which KnickeTbocker
amused himself we'll loses much of its alb
surdity when we remember the political situa-
ton beyond the Atlantic that made the English
and Dutch Governments so anxious to avoid
quarrel at that time and hence made a similar
care necessary on this side of the Atlantic. Van
Tviller was expected to assert the Dutch claims,
but censure from the States General would GER
tany have followed any begerent act Hence
that comic episode Of the attack at Saybrook,
when the Dutch troops meekly turned and
Ma lked away on the refusal of the English 70
surrender The poor "doubteT' had frequently
asked for permission to use his discretion
in lighting. but had never obtained it; dilem-
ma always confronted him. which. Mr.. Fiske
sympathetically remarks. vas a state Of things
calculated 20 encourage the habit Of doubling.
But the story Of the Dutch rule in New-Am-
sterdam is on the whole story of weakness
and faulty: inferior men. unwse strong
ones, were al the helm. and both the colony's
internal affairs and the relations with the Ind
ians were usually badly bungled What Dominic
Bogardus Numbered from the pulpit met with
the acquiescenCe Of the citizens: What are the
great men Of this country but vessels of wrath
and fountains Of and trouble2" The capt
ure Of New-York by the English was none the
less q high handed act that cannot be justified
on any canon If political morality. Il may be
said, thinks Mr Fiske. TO merit the revenge
the Dutch took in the ensuing war when they
burned the English feet at Chatham and block
AIDED the Thames-'the sorest military humilia-
ton that England has ever known since Will
lam the Norman landed in Sussex" The peace
ful capture OF New York was an event Of a
magnitude in its historic results second only to
the conquest Of Canada On the episode OF the
Dutch colonization Mr. Fiske has dwelt with an
especial fondness. and he has enlarged delight
fully on the social characteristics Of the Dutch
life in New-YOrk and on the Topography of
Manhattan Island. There is an abundance Of
material bout both and Mr.. Fiske knows how
10 make il count in drawing his picture
II AeW-1ork lacked strong men in the early
days Pennsylvania had in William Penn "by far
the greatest among the founders Of American
commonwealth man Of extraordinary and
varied powers. uniting after fashion all his
own the wisdom Of the serpent with the purity
OF the dove. who was able at once 10 be a leader
Of one Of the most iconoclastic and unpopular
OF Christian sects and retain the admiring
friendship Of one Of the most bigoted kings
that ever sat upon a throne" To his influence
with James II was due the latitude that en-
sbled him to establish a kind Of civil govern
ment at widest variance with the principles of
the Stusrts. The government that Penn main
tained under these guarantees Of freedom proved
highly attractive, and his holy experiment.
became Immediately a most successful one
Doubtless one cause contributing TO this sue
cess was the long peace with the Indians Penn's
skill in dealing with them was due to that union
Of royal dignity and anabe grace that charac
terized him. He knew, too, nstinctively what
chords in the Indian nature to touch, and how
10 make a profound impression upon them. Mr.
Fiske has some extremely wise words upon Z
matter that is continually presenting itself Il
students OF early Colonial history-that is III,
character Of the Indians in their relation witt