The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-04
A GREAT HISTORIC WORE BY A
SOUTHRON.

ing history thus far produced by
a southron. 1t will not offend or
effect US in the slightest degree
whether any one agrees with our con-
illusions or no. We shall write calmly,
deliberately, precisely what we think
Of the work after delightingly having
read the two massive volumes, huge
octavos.. The work vas a very great
surprise to US as we'll as a very great
satisfaction and pleasure. With the ex-
ception Of Macaulay's magnificent his
toric torso, and John Richard Green's
mastery four volume History of
England" we do not recall SO fascin-
atIng an historical work as the one we
have in mind. We failed to find in the
histories Of antiquity and in Gibbon,
Hume. Giuzot, Carlyle, Rollin, Robert
son, Bancroft. Prescott and many 9TH
ers. the unfailing attraction, the power
Of commanding interest, the intense
mastery. the absolute fascination Ia
we so Unexpectedly found in 1.-The Story
Of France" 1t begins with the earliest
times in French history and comes
down to the beginning Of Napoleon
Bonaparte's Consulate. We take leave
to say here, lest we forget It. that it
is to be hoped that the brilliant author
will take up the STORY" Of Napoleon
and bring the French history down to
the close of the greet and disastrous
wal with Germany in 1871. Give us an
other thousand pages. When we had
read the last page of the 1900 pages of
the great work, we regretted that we
a reached the end and longed for
more.
Who is the author OF this rarely en-
tertaining historic work? II is a Geor-
gan. formerly knowJ' as a politician
of the populist school. and for one term
i member of the houce Of representa-
tives from Georgia-Hon. Thomas E.
Watson. He is a lawyer, a man of
education. of wide reading in matters
pertaining to France, master of a most |
clear. direct. animated, forceful, dra-
matte. imaginative style. He has shown
himself an adept in historic compost
ton, Of singular acuteness. breadth,
Vigor and vivacity. Read his books
and o will see in this there is no ex-
~aggeration. To us, we confess. his vol
tunes were positively as engaging as
Tnackeray's Henry Esmond," that
supreme masterpiece, Victor Hugo's
Les Miserabiles." the greatest achieve
ment of French effort in the field of
fiction. and worth Il dozen of that
greatly overrated book of Balzac's
"'Pere Goriot." and Dumas's Three
Guardsmen." his highest success.
THE Story Of France" is of unbroken
interest from opening to ending. So
far as we have information it is the
best historic work from any southern
zen. and however shocking it might be
to northern men we would rather have
written it than to have written any
work by n New England pen. That
would relegate a fellow to the limbo OF
FOOLS forever in the opinion OF New
Englanders. But nevertheless we say
it and believe it.
To US, the STORY of France" is most
enhancing. 1t is an historic EYE
%oUener." 1t matters not how much
one may hav read of France from the
time Of Louis the Fourteenth to the
end of the tremendous cataclysm
known as the French Revolution"
you will MOI have understood the mean
ing Of all until you have been illumi-
mated by the teachings n revelations
OF this unique and brilliant history. All
We ask for 1t. is a fair trial. Do not
Rad to carp, but to understand. Do
play Sir Critic and damn the style
or reject because it infringes upon pre-
conceived opinion and Jars to the bot
long cherished prejudices, mainly
born Of Misrepresentation and perver-
OF facts and concealments and
SO on. .
We would X for every true Ameri- 9
Car to read that work. We would like ,
for every voter in the south to give 7
Inc volumes a very careful. considerate I
reading. be open to the truth and will 8
ing to be informed. II will prove in a :
a revelation. II will intensity r
my mans belief in man. and fill his q,
soul with a higher ideal and a more in q,
ardor for truth and right and ,
and honor and humanity. It 4,
S q work Of great research. Of con- /.
Iammate power. 1t is the story Of a {
reat people and'shows how awful were r
lie expressions and finally how the {
triumphed amid the horrors and
Of a mighty drama. deadly,
but complete. We are so thor 1
ughly persuaded of the remarkable ex- u
ellence n force OF this history that a
re are anxious to see others enjoying +
as we have done. The time covered n
these volumes is really from 500 B. Il
:. to the Consulate-some $500 years j
r more. We do not know personally T,
he author, we suppose he never heard tt
o much Is the name Of this writer. Il
ld we nave, no interest In the work n
eyona what we have stated. It has d