The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-08
Dealing with History.

FNdI HlaIY TTtlCIlIilCll "lhCt ~ NhV
reader has some doubts about the authors
accuracy but doesn't mind so long as he is
entertained, is NJ. Paul Gruyer's Napoleon,
King of Eliza William Heinemann; J. b.
Lippincott Company. Elba is still toler-
ably unknown, though hardly as much as
VI. Gruyer supposes, and his impressions
Of the island are delightful. He then de-
scribes Napoleon's short rule in the island
end is evidently bound to be picturesque
AT any cost. The months Of Napoleon's
exile have been passed over by the general
histories, and the point Of view of the people
Of Elba has probably never been presented
before, in so far NJ. Gruyer has the right
kind Of originality. 1t ia natural, perhaps,
for a gallant Frenchman to make the most
Of woman and OF sentiment, but the reader
may find il difficult to swallow IL all, par
ticrIlarly when connected with Napoleon
making ready for the 100 days" NJ.
GuIyer, however. il amusing n showed
great industry in hunting up Napoleon
relics on the island.
Much more serious is another Napoleon
volume, -Napoleon's Campaign in Poland.
lsO0-lsO7," by F.. Lorraine Petre Gohn Lane
Company. This is the campaign that begins
with the passageo of the Vistula, ends with the
peace Of Tilsit and the humiliation OF Prus-
STA, and includes the siege of Danzig and the
battles OF Eylau and of Friedland. IL is
Intended as a description and criticism of
military operations and will interest chiefly
students of that side OF history.
The reaction against the excessive patri-
otIsm Of the American Revolution, which
has already produced a number OF justifl-
cations Of prominent Tories, accounts for
the appearance and the tone Of Miss Alice
Mapelsden Keys, Phi. DIS, -Cadwallader
Golden" CThe Columbia University Press;
Macmillans). The man who 30 often and
under such difficult circumstances acted as
Governor OF New York had an unusually
varied career which deserves a more pict-
uresque treatment than is permitted by the
limitations of n doctor dissertation. Miss
Keys dissects her subject into the savant,
the surveyor-general. the politician and the
executive. She relates his deeds in each
capacity co~nscientiously from the authori-
ties, but with a feminine disinclination to
furnish precise dates which makes neces-
sary closer reading than would be required
with a more liberal use Of figures. She has
put together probably nearly everything
hat can be ascertained regarding Colden's
long life. 1t is natural, perhaps, that in
writing a biography an author should
Justify or extenuate acts on which a wider
view of history might throw a somewhat
different light. The Revolution is an ao-
complished fact, accepted in history and
should be taken into account even when
trying to do full justice to interesting
Colonials who fought against it. Miss
KEYS has done a very thorough piece Of
work
Personal interest may account for the. in
clusion OF some names in the half dozen
collected by Mr.. Richard Harding Davis
in Real Soldiers OF Fortune" Charles
Scribner's Sons). It was to be expected,
perhaps, that he should mistake a war
correspondent for a soldier and so include
Mr.. Winston Spencer Churchill; the selection
OF Baron Harden-Hickey seems due to
sentiment. 1t makes little diff ~erence, how
ever. for Mr.. Davis's book has a serious
fault. ~unaccountable in a writer OF his
experience as Journalist and romancer.
For the facts, properly arranged, that
would excite interest in his heroes, he
often substitutes his own eulogistic remarks
and directions about what to admire. II
seems strange that the dare devil careers
he indicates should not provide better
stories Of adventure.
That Frenchmen, when they set about
Il, can rival the thoroughness OF German
pedantry is made manifest by M. O.. Le-
notre's THE Flight of Marie Antoinette'
William Heinemann; j. b. Lippincott and
Company. The book comes unaccompanied
bv a single word explaining the reason
for its existence or for its being translated
into English. IL deals wholly with the at
tempt OF the royal family TO escape with
the arrest at Varennes and the return "a
Paris. The incident is doubtless dra-
matic and it has given rise TO some con-
troversy with regard TO details, but "a
have s25 closely printed pages devoted
20 il, and 10 it alone, must excite alarm
about the future of history when the special
lists have full sw wing. We feel sure that
NJ. Lenotre has included everything that
could be found regarding the six days that
are covered by his narratives; no detail
seems to him too trivial TO be omitted
and he has ferreted out the history Of
every person involved. He seems inclined
10 accept tittle-tattle about Marie Al
toinette, but that is due to his desire e
make her romantic according to his Light
and not TO i'll will.
Almost az minute in its way is the account
of King Philips War" written by George
W. Ellis and JOIN E. Morris The ORATOR
Press. New York; This, however, deals
with a critical episode in the history OF the
New England settlements and one that
in spite OF it's importance. is usually con
densed into a few paragraphs in modern
general histories. The authors have col
lected in their account all the picturesque
incidents contained in the local histories
the matters that give individuality and
substance to events instead of the skeleton
generalities that are common to all human
conflicts and which make them indistinguish
able from each other. Here is a full accoun
of the first great conflict with the Indians
the model of the wars Of exterminatior
that we're TO wipe them out OF existence
save az ~ethnographic uriositles.
A useS al and nee ssary bit OF work II
America, history his been done by DR.
Charles Oscar Paulln in The Navy OF tn
American Revolution. Its administration
is Policy inc its Achievements 9Th
Burrows Brothers Company, ClevelandD
threads Ikea doctor dissertation, but once
q while these academic products are OF som
-.