Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-01


whole of Lewanika's territory; to study Its
resources and Industrial possibilities; to
ascertain how far the Zambesi and her at
huents could be utilized as navigable water
ways; to furnish the late Cecil Rhodes with
such Information bearing on the character
of the country as might be of assistance in
the selection of route for the projected
trans-continental railway, more especially
with reference to the crossing of the Fam
best. Major Gibbons determined, quite as
secondary feature Of his expedition. to
return IL possible by way of the great lakes
and the Nile through Egypt, but rather as
a matter of personal interest than Of seri-
GUS study. Yet this item in his program
was unduly magnifed by the British press.
and his accomplishment Of 1t was hailed
as an achievement out of proportion to the
real results of the exploration. y
The author emerged from this remote re-
gion convinced of its rich possibilities as a
productive center. and of the navigability
OF Its waterways under the influence of
competent engineers backed by abundant
capital. He proclaims that the great re-
Quirement OF central Africa is a settled
population capable Of working out the vast
riches of the soil. There Is need, of course,
Of the most careful administration Of the
natives. The British system, he thinks has
wrought wonders. but is still subject to
criticism, in that 1t tends too strongly to-
ward GENERALIZATION. With private enter
prise and wise government, patience and
capital, the headwaters of the Zambesi
may some day become a vital factor in the
worlds industrial economy. The volumes
which tell of the Incidents of the explora-
ton leading to these conclusions are highly
interesting. Major Gibbons tells his story
simply, yet with many comments on side
lines that illuminate the whole question Of
African study.
sHELBuRNE ESSAYS. By Paul Elmer More.
First Series New York: g; 2; Putnam's Sons.
washington: Woodward & Lothrop
Being Of a philosophic trend of mind, with
q CIV focf far NJ
More immured himself for two years In the
depths of nature in the valley Of the andre
scroggin, near the village of Shelburne. liv-
ing the life of hermit that he might think
out the problems that confronted him. When
he emerged from his retirement he had
reached the conclusion that his literary la
bors in the world were to be critical rather
than creative. He brought from the seclu-
sion a store of impressions derived both
from his books and from his communings
with nature Naturally, Thoreau was one
of the foundation stones of the structure he
reared out of those materials. He read
walden while sitting on the banks of the
river with his great dog, with all the her
mit's sense of separation from the world,
and as far as it is possible, In attune with
Thoreaus own mood, when that mastery
work was created. The volume of essays,
Mr.. More's introspection and reading dur
ing that period of isolation, is composed OF
papers that have heretofore been printed In
periodicals. Assembled, they present the
aspect of definite line of discourse. The
author seeks the underlying psychological
motives for the works of such writers as
Thoreau, Hawthorne, Poe, Emerson, Car
lyle, Symons and Tolstoi lie anaiyzes the
Irish literary revival He discusses human.
itarianism. He criticises recent attempt
to reduce the writing of English verse 10
a scientific formula. One or the most IN
teresting of his conclusions is that FINER
sons philosophy Is the fundamental eS-
sence of the latter-day school of Christian
Science, conclusion which Mrs Mary
Baker Eddy has stoutly disputed. VI
Emerson-of whose works he is lover
he says: "EmersonianiSm (meaning the In
fuence of Emerson as 1T works on large
masses of mem today is sign OF limitation,
not of strength; of palsy, not or growth.
Later he declares: "In politics the unre-
fleeing optimism of transcendental Boston
has given birth to that Uniformed creature
called Anti-Imperialism. l do not mean
such anti-imperialism as would dispute on
the grounds of expediency our policy In
the Philippines or elsewhere-this is ques-
ton of statesmanship-but that Saturnalia
or excess of Faith which wantonly closes
the eyes to distinctions and would see a
Washington in every Aguinaldo." A close
reading of Mr.. Mores essays affords salts
flying proof that the spirit of true literary
criticism is still active and developing.
BAY; Its Historic and Romantic
Associations and Picturesque Setting. By Ed
gar Mayhem Bacon author OF The Hudson
KsW Y trSm Geean P 20 sons washingten
: woodward & Lothrop.
The Narragansett region has always exer-
cised' strong fascination for the antigua
rian and the historian, for there cluster
more or less family Endorsed by
physical signs. of the first-known of the
European discoveries of the western con-
tinent by the Norsemen. But the present
author agrees with George Bancrofts dec
laration that 1.-THE soil of North America
has not one vestige of their presence" He
shows how the skeleton in armor," famed
by Longfellow's verses. was undoubtedly
the bony structure of an Indian. He re-
fuses to accept the alleged Morse tower at
Newport as q genuine token Of the Viking
and he points out that the rock
which have faded perceptibly
during the past few years of his own per-
sonal observation. could not possibly have
been made by the Norsemen. Nevertheless.
Mr. Bacon holds with Max Muller. who
said: Il have met with nothing to shake my
belief that the Norsemen possessed knowl-
edge Of America in the tenth and eleventh
centuries.
Mr.. Bacon's volume descriptive of the
region is beautiful achieve
ment, and yields a great mass of historic,
geographic and geographic material in a
graceful form, with an abundance of Illus
trations from both photographs and artistic
rawlings by the author. He shows the
Bay country as the scene of
the early struggles between the dissenters
from Engiands church policies and the alb
origines, that developed. the rugged char
acter of the New England colonists and
planted the seeds of independence deep in
their breasts. He traces the wanderings of
Roger Williams, and shows the few remain
Ing signs of the early peaceful intercourse
between the great preacher and the Indians
He indicates graphically the rapid growth
Of the trade centering around the mouth of
Long Island sound. a trade which for
time gave America dominating influence
In certain seas.
The waves of war often touched these
shores and left their marks. Mr.. Bacon tells
the various stories of this contact and pre-
sents the pictures of scenes and structures
identified with them. OF the modern aspect
of the Narragansett region he says but lit
tie, save to show the present beauties of
the bays shores. The whole work is a fine
example of book making in both the writing
and the mechanical execution. The publish
ers have given to it every care, and the vol
ume stands in notable place among those
that are devoted to the exploita ton to the
centers of American historic interest
HOW THE UNITED STATES BECAME MA.
TON. By John Fiske. With illustra tions and
map. Boston: CHM & Co.
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