The San Francisco call., 1909-02-21

b Thomas Nelson Page. Publishsd BY
Charles scribuer's Sons. H@- York Price
Sl5o.
As q story teller and writer OF de-
Nghtrul fiction Thomas Nelson Page has
long occupied an enviable position, ana
If chis memoir could be Judged as a
piecs of action il might unhesitatingly
be called admirable, u Is written with
e strong southern bias and more than
that ii is almost aggresiyely defensive.
As a man and a general, Lee needs no
defense, but the author imagining that
De does, oVershoots his mark IN eulo-
Eizing In sketching his early life he
speaks of Lee as a man whom We OF
tile south believe TO have been not only
tile greatest soldier Of his time and
the greatest captain of the English
Speaking race, but the ioftiest charac-
ter of his geuerations one rarely
. eQualed and possibly never excelled
In ala the annals Ot the human race.
- III is easy enough TO understand AiT.
.Pege's alteration az Lee. for, aside
--from his birth and Inherited SYM
pethies be was student az Washing
ton college when Lee was Its presi
dent AFTER Lees surrender 70 Grant
he led a very quiet life. lie said
when he went into the college:
d have led the young men OF the
south 20 battle; 7 have seen many OF
p them die On the deld. 1 shall devote
gny remaining energy TO training young
men 10 Go their duty IN life,"
-. AIR. Page has written an introduc-
4 tory word. which explains his purpose.
J. Ha says u part.
This Sketch OF a great Virginian is
nor written with The expectation, or
Nyith even the hope, that the writer
. can add anything 10 the fame OF Lee;
. but rather In obedience TO a feeling
that as the son OF confederate SOL
der as a southernsr. as an American,
. lie ewes something TO himself and 70
: his. cOuntrymen. which he should en-
deaVOr TO pay, though II may bo but q
mite cast into the treasury OF abun-
dance, II IS no part OF my
D.. purpose TO undertake 10 discuss critic
ally the great campaigns which Lee
> conducted or battles which he fought
This ] must leave 70 those military
scholars whose experience entities their
Judgment TO respect, / shall mainly
ccuhne nayself 10 setting forth the con-
diuons which existed and the results
o. the manner IN which he met forces
which confronted him.
IT is, therefore. rather or Lee, the
man. that I purpose 10 speak in this
brief memoir though incidentally
shall endeaVor 10 direct the readers
thought 10 one especial phase OF his
work a. q soldier. for Il appears 10
distinguished him from other great
captains and other great men. His
character ] deem absolutely the fruit
of the Virginia civilization which ex-
listed ia times past. no drop OF blood
alien to Virginia coursed IN HIS veins
his rearing was wholly within heI
borders and according TO the principles
of her llfe."
Mr. Page thinks that the south has
rot received FAIR play at the hands al
historians and Ia HIS enthusiasm ht
overdoes his work. He has made q
deep study or the south's foremost
military commander and is vel
equipped to write memoir or him. He
hopes he Is writing only truth. bat
much OF his book win be severely criti-
cised IN the north lie sayss
The reputation OF the south has sur.
Tered because we have allowed rhetoric
% usurp the place OF history. We
have furnished many orators, but few
historians. but all history at last mus
be the work not of the orator. but o.
the historian. Truth, simply stated