The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-30
A HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND, edit
ed by Edward Field. A. b.:
mason Publishing Company. BY subscrip-
coo

(Msson Publishing Company. By subscrip-
tion 500
Second notice)
The general political history OF the
state that introduces the three-volume
set of Fields History OF Rhode Island"
and fills the greater part OF the first vol
ume, is written by Clarance Saunders
Brigham. A. b.. Librarian OF the Rhode
Island Historical society. Mr.. Brigham's
performance is TO be commended. His
historical survey seems 10 be every
thing desirable that such a piece OF work
should be- IL Is concise and comprehen-
sive At the same time IL Is complete and
copious as to essentials. Stress is laid on
really impdftant and significant events or
| episodes. liberal space Is accorded es-
sential parts OF the narrative. There is an
excellent proportion observed by virtue
OF which. while slurring nothing and over
looking nothing Of account, the maze is
cleared for the reader, and the historic
guide posts and land marks stand out
| conspicuouSly
Best OF an. perhaps, the work has the
| quality OF style and readableness, the
quality that some historians have been
able TO give to their performance without
lapsing into unwarranted romances while
| some others have not been equally free
from that danger. Mr. Brigham Is, OF
course. fortunate In his subject. when II
comes TO that. The history of Rhode ISL
and is unique and there is much curious
romance and an unexampled vitality
about II that distinguish IL and commend
| II 20 the imagination over and above the
| common prose of emigration. colonial set
| tlement, Indian wars-a succession OF
| events only rarely varied as TO detail
whether the scene was Massachusetts, or
| Virginia.
| Rhode Island was an original. There
was never another settlement like IL and
| her history is a novelty story among all
! the stories of men since the world began,
| He would be lacking I'm the imaginative
| faculty. indeed, who would fail 10 be
stirred by the task OF writing about
| Rhode Island and inspired 20 make pref
| ~ lively bit OF reading ont of the same
while sticking vigorously TO the impress
| sive facts, since imagination could prob
| ably not really match them for interest.
Mr.. Brigham has not only been so NOV
ed. but his pen has carried the thing out
so that one reads this history OF his with
the enthusiasm that attaches only to the
best examples of the work historical.
Withal. he was exercised an admirable
restraint lest his enthusiasm run away
with him, foreseeing. perhaps. that some
OF his critical readers would take offence
il he let himself wholly loose to the ex-
subject Still this is a fine and briskly-
told story OF Rhode Island-a capital sub
ject handled with full appreciation both
of the value OF the documentary record
and the profound beauty and grandeur
inherent in the theme. Assuming nothing,
indulging In no fanciful conjectures, re-
specting always the historical record.
Mr.. Brigham's performance is capital
example of the tested fact that readable
ness Is a quality not incompatible with
exactness OF statement. OF cogency and
of completeness in historical writing.
The plan OF the writing is chronological,
by periods of various lengths but. on the
whole. marking well defined steps While
at the came time the bearing of gents
on one another and the final developments
are always in view and are clearly sug-
gested throughout the recital.
The spirit that is in Mr.. Brigh ans
work introducing the History and sum-
marizing its important epis ,lss and
epochs is also infused into the work OF
the writer's who follow with more extend
ed treatment of specific imoo. art fac
tors In the life of the state. The editor
in-chief writes of the military history Of
the state under the title THE Wars and
the Militia" i'm volume I. a task for
which Mr.. Field Is particularly well
equipped as heretofore evidenced by va
rous publications dealing with parts OF
this subject that have appeared from
time 10 time from his pen OF the naval
history OF the state Mr.. l. Perry Smith
writes under the title THE Sea Force i'm
War Time" also In the nrJt volume. Both
Of these contributions bring the record
up 60 the end OF The century with the
militia and naval fore az Il was after
the close of the Spanish War and con-
tanning full reference u Rhode Islands
| share I'm that war.
DR.. Charles v. Chaplin, superintendent
of health OF the city OF Providence. opens
the second volume with an article treat
| ing OF the medical history OF Rhode ISL
| and under the title, "Epidemics and Med
ical Institutions" II will probably he in
the nature of new Information 10 many
| readers To learn that our state, i'm it's
| history, has suffered severely from cpl
| denies that were, In their way. as violent
as some OF the great plaques OF world
history. The smallpox visitation OF 1890
| 9l paralyzed the usual business and
affairs OF the colony Yellow fever. too.
was not unknown i'm Rhode Island so late
| as the last years of the 18th century aud,
! indeed did not wholly disappear until
| 1905. The outbreaks OF Asiatic cholera
| between 1892 and 1854 have been recently
| recalled and Or. Chaplin is able from the
| records available to present a very full
| statement thereof.
Religious Societies. Their History and
| Present Condition" are written about by
| Rev. Daniel Goodwin. Naturally. this Is
topic affording especial opportunity.
since Rhode Islands original important
| distinction was TO be free 20 all religions
| and to non-relgions, as well. The de-
velopment OF the various denominations
under such conditions has peculiar in
terest Mr. Smith contributes an cx-
| haustive chapter on the Growth OF
! Public Education" another topic which
has an unique interest. since Rhode Island
| was an originator of educational methods
when a start was made. while I'm the
earlier days she was on the whole. per-
| haps a. notably behind her neghbors
! from the point OF view OF TODAY. as In
/, religious matters she was In advance OF
4 them. What a splendid pace Rhode
| Island has set since she took up the
| matter OF public education Is a matter