Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-19

John Stevens Cabot Abbott, the cele-
brated author OF popular histories, was
born in brunswick, sept. 3, 1906, gratu-
atcd from BOwdoin in the famous class
OF lS2J--thc Lontellow class-and died
81 Fhirhavcn, Conn, June II, 1877. In
Dio2ra phical sketch the Boston Globe
says:
when the parents Of the rising gen
Grafton were themselves the rising gen
Grafton, tho works of John s. g. Abbott
cn]"ed PUBLIC INTERESTS hardly euualed
ny thos1 OF any other author of pon,,
, laf history and biography. After grad
n2tnsirnm BoWdOin college, and studv-
ing ~ the Andover Theological Semi
nary, ABBOTT was ordained a Congrega-
t-onai minister. Throughout his s,hsa-
aueht me ne was distinguished for bis
, oeeply relGous nature and his benevo-
tent disposition, but ii was as an autbnr
that n" attained cminence anl became
widely known. He bcgn his work as 4
ctf8yn12n at Worcester, Mass ana
altcrWrd served at RoXbury, at Nam
tucket and at Fairhaven Conn. Until
near the time of his death he continued
| to preach, while turning out books for
| many years at the rate Of two a ver
writing magazine articles and lectIrinp
| at lest ONCE q week, in addition Ia de-
| livcring two sermons every Sunday.
| Abbotts first ESSAY as an author ws the
| publication OF series of papers en-
| titled Mother at Home. 1t was only
with great difficulty that the publishers
| were persuaded to carry this work
! through the press, but il had an enor-
nous circulation, both in this coun-
| try and in England. 1t was translated
into several European languages, and
was printed in the native tongue Of
Africa and India. 1t was the extra
ordinary success of this work That he'd
| Abbott TO follow career of lif4Ra ture.
| while remaining in the ministry.
| Thereafter, however, his chief field
was history and he published a seieapf
| biographies in six volumes,e Including
the lives of Marie Antionette, the IL
| fated queen of Louis XVI of France;
Josephine, the first wife of Napoleon
| Bonaparfe; Madame Roand of French
revolutionary fame, and Cortez. the
c0nquerer of Mexico. He published
also a history of Napoleon Bonaparte
in two volumes, a history of the French
Revolution. and a history of the Civils
War in America in two volumes. Mcsts
Oh MS DOORS ODtdlIleu al tAlt1iSlNt Git
culation. Abbott was blessed with u
singularity even temperament, and he
was pleasing and animated writer,
but scarcely to be relied on as a his
tOrian. His severer critics called his
history of Napoleon Bonaparte most
remarkable example of indiscriminate
and eXtravagant eulogy. In 1868, before
Napoleon III. of France had engaged
in the Franco-prussian war, which
causcd his ruin and forever blotted his
fame, Abbott published a history of
that monarch which had the merits
and dement's of the story of Napoleon
!. Besides his historical works, Abbott
published much on religious topics
which had large numbers of readers.
His brother Jacob. was also a volurni-
nous writer. and published over 200
volumes, compiled a series of school
rea dcrs and assisted ]. s. c. in the lat
ter's series OF illustrated histories. Rev.
DR. Lyman Abbott, the celebrated
preacher, author and editor, is the son
Of Jacob and the nephew OF j. $. c.
Abbott.
Miss Ellen Glasgow has returned p
Virginia for the inspiration of her new
work, THE Beaten Road, which Will
he nublished bv DOubleday, Pc &c & Co.