The Washington herald., 1908-04-19

Life and Letters OF George Bancroft,
Important from both a literary and an
historical point of view is the Life and
Letters of George Bancroft, by NJ A
De Wolf Howe. A1r. Howe undertook
this important work at the suggestion OF
Mrs. John c. Bancroft daughter-in-law
Of the historian, who intrusted to him
ali private papers of her father-in-law.
1t is plain that Mr.. Bancroft himself had
done much to simplify his biographers s
work. His correspondence was found TO
be for the most part well arranged and
he had secured many of his early letters
from their recipients, besides following
the practice Of preserving copies of most
of the letters written during his active
life
The work and the life Of George Ban
croft taken together cover virtually the
entire range Of American history. His
books are the record, from the very be-
ginnings, Of ali the events which culmi-
mated in the Inauguration of the first
President, only eleven years before the
birth Of the nineteenth century. With
that century the life Of George Bancroft
began and continued through all but nine
of its years. His life was one Of many
contacts with most of the important per-
sons and events of his time both in
America and in Europe II was a life
that rendered him peculiarly national
figure.
George Bancroft was born at Worees-
ter, Mass, October 3, 1896, where he was
educated until his eleventh year, when
he attended Phillips Academy. in Exeter,
y. H., TO receive his two years OF prepa-
ration for Harvard That he early showed
leaning toward that scholarship in which
he was to become famous is shown by
the fact that in 1872 he carried off the
prize Of 81 as the scholar who most dis
tinguished himself in constancy and
passing the Greek and Latin languages"
He entered Harvard College in 1913, ar
the time when President Kirkland was its
head. This was a fortunate thing for the
young man, for President Kirkland took
deep interest in his career and was
largely instrumental in sending him to
Germany. When. in 1928. he heard Of
President Kirklands S resignation he wrote
him letter, in which he said:
And among the results of your career hope you
will not be unwilling 20 count the abOrs and efforts
Of those whose efforts. if they are Of value derive
that value originally from yourself. To that num-
Der ] belong To yOu, ard 10 you altogether, and
yoa elo1e do hold myself indebted for all that
renders my life useful and honorable.
The four years of Bancroft's study in
Germany are recorded rather minuteIy
in the letters which he sent back during
that period. All the great men in Eu-
rope at that time he met, being paTtieu-
larry impressed with Goethe in Germany.
with Lafayette in Paris. and other nota-
bes. He returned 10 America in 1872
where ne became a teacher of Greek in
Harvard College. This period of teach
ing. which lasted from 1922 to 1881, was
also to Bancroft in a large measure a
period of learning-cool and practical ex-
perienoe in writing He added somewhat
to his income by contributions to the
North American Review and other maga-
zines. and in this period also he married.
II is very largely through his letters
that we learn of Bancrofts introduction
into politics. While he was still one of
the masters Of Round Hill he delivered in
1895 the Fourth of July Grafton at North
ampton. This was his first public utter
anee. Says his biographer:
It IS significant fact that on this vefy day when
Thomas Jefferson aud john Adams were dying, it
was the Virginia, not the New England statesman
whom Bancroft in his patriotic oratory described
one Whose principles identified with the
character Of ogr goFerBment, and whose influence
with the progress Of civil liberty throughout the
world" It was the Jeffers0nian doctrine that he
set forth when he declared. with reference 10 the
Constitution, that the sovereignty Of the people
is the basis of the system. With the people the
power resides. both theoretically and practically. The
government Is a democracy administered immediate
lY By the people, or by the peoples responsible
sgenss. and again: The popular yoics is all