The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-05

more catholic spirited man to be- found
anywhere than the lamented John Fislle.
The natural question was. why this
resolution?
Fis.e's was a misunderstood life in
deed. Beginning as an instructor in his
tory at Harvard, he was discharged be-
cause he was thought to hold views an
tagonstIc to religion The man who
wrote THE Idea of Cod and God
Through Nature!" He accepted the YER
dict without a murmur, and was soon
engaged as lecturer on history by a
Southern -Washington-at 81.
Louis. His investigations In American
history were carried forward constantly
so that II a short time that almost won
tlerful series Of books on colonial and
early State history began to appear.
Among the last of these was Old Viz
ginia and Her Neighbors-a book of
which no Firginian has ever complained
publicly. It embraced two volumes.
while The Beginnings OF New England
filled but one. thus rnanifesting ths au-
thors opinion OF Virginia's Importance
IN laying the foundations Of our coun-
try Within the last two years this
book on Virginia has been universally
commended by Virginia papers to their
readers So fair was Fisile to Virginia
that New EiGlgauders criticised him Sc
vereIy as a Southern partisan. So first
heartily commended by Southern review
ers and blamed by Northerners as being
too friendly to Southern tradition. his
books are now excluded from the schools
OF the leading Southern State-Virginid.
These contradictory actions and atd-
tudes have led the writer 10 a re-eSam-
iu,tion OF Risks History and with the
result that little If any cause OF COM
ul,irt has been found His account OF
ths Civil War WAS naturally the most
closely examined. OF John Brown, the
latest edition of the book, page $685. says.
.'Jchn Brown was Connecticut man
by BIRTH and q religious fanatic by
nature a curious compound Of self-devo-
tio1 and ruthiessness. IN 1855, he had
NOV ed from Ohio TO Kansas, and in the
bloody struggle there had done his full
share OF grim work" The account OF
the Civil War from beginning to end
- far as I could discern, Is erlnently
judicious and nowhere is there manifest
ed anything but the greatest respect for
the characters OF our great leaders,; no.
wilert Is fulsome eulogy of Northern
leaders INDUCED. Simple narration OF
events seems TO have been the authors
aim, and the impression which must ba
n.ado on the mind Of any reader, North
ern or Southern, is that Ffske himself
thought he had done no man or party
Injustice that he had certainly been fair
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his own section OF the country.
Some people may complain Of the short
space given to the Civil Wars pages.
Fut this is amply sufficient when 1t ts
seen that the history of the country from
$50 to 1850 Is given but g pages. The
war was only the result of tho long con-
troy ersies OF a half century. and the
ablest American writer's OF history agree
that wars should not occupy 50 much OF
the attention of the historian. It is
but reasonable that political contest OF
a ueaceable nature should receive as
much attention as the warlike In this
Fiske has evidently followed the wiser
course.
What then was the cause OF the ex-
illusions or Fiskes book? Were there
superior books competing for the first
place? II so no complaint can be made
by any one. The school children should
Invariably have the best books In the
market. But it is doubtful II superior
books are TO- be had This &as not given