The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-15

60 -
5pandinE history. In hts first volumes
he dealt with the economic aspect OF
that path breaking colony; and then
a later volume on the social; and now,
lastly, these two books dealing with
virginia,s Institutions In that creative
ora. "A
Not only has Mr.. Bruce been happy
in HIS choice OF subject, but he has
been equally happy in his training
for the task. AS secretary OF the vir-
ginia Historical Society for many
years, he brooded his materialH. And
since then he has ransacked the IL
sbraries OF Europe in search OF every
fact that bore Upon the early Develop
ment OF England's first colony in tho
Western world. Even such advantages
might have amounted to little as II
permanent contribution to historical
knowledge. * one were without the
painstaking care. the judicial temper,
the critical spirit, and the passionate
love for a fact, all OF which go to
make up the historian. These quali-
ties. however. Mr. Bruce has In a
signal degree, together with a style
at once chaste, clear and forceful.
6ceives his work Is shown In the fol-
lowing words:
II Tomorrow vast wave from the
Atlantic. set in motion by some APP
palling convulsion OF nature, should
sink England forever below the level
or the ocean, and thus destroy the last
remnant OF her population and tho
last vestigc Of her cities and her
fields. vet In her spirit. which rep
sresents all that is highest in nations
as IN individual men, she would still
survive In that great power over sea.
whose seed she planted. whose growth
she nourished, and whose chief claim
to the respect OF mankind will always
consist in unfolding those general
ideas OF law. government and morality
which Its people inherited from that
little Island like emerald In the stormy
seas OF the North. From this point
OF view. the foundation OF Jamestown
becomes the greatest OF all events In
the modern history OF the Anglo Saxon
race, and one of the very greatest IN
the history of the world. From this
point of view also the conditions pre-
vailing In Colonial Virginia-the fore
most and most powerful OF all the
English dependencies of that day, and
the one which adopted the English
principles and ideas most thoroughly
and was most successful in disseml-
mating them-becomes of supreme In
terest: for from these conditions was
to spring the characteristic spirit or
one Of the greatest OF modern ma
tionalities; and from these conditions
was to arise a permanent guyrantce
that! whatever might BIS the fate OF
England herself, the Anglo saxon con-
ception OF social order. political free
/ dom. individual liberty. and private
morality. should not perish from the
face OF the EARTH.
The Ave divisions of Mr.. Bruce.s
work are at once natural and help-
ful-religion and morals. education,
legal administration, military system.
political conditions. The treatment
throughout is based upon first-hand
acquaintance with the original sources
OF Information. Extraordinary seems
his patience In hunting down every
detail! OF a fact. no matter what the
labor necessary to accomplish that
end. For instance, the four tables in
which Mr.. Bruce presents illiteracy
in the Virginia colony "are results OF
comparison OF nearly $4,000 names,
which was at pains to copy literatim
from county records" Likewise, In
setting forth the libraries, he makes
ancient wills give up every secret as
to exact titles of the books which the
VIZ gina pIduteES lau III tQelrf II Ome5 >.
To me 1t was most interesting to fol-
low the track OF the author into the
very jungle of historical Investigation.
The thoroughness of his method, in
this regard. recalls the minuteness and
love which scholars throughout the
centuries have bestowed upoi, the
Interpretation of the classics, in their
endeavor to strike light out Of every
word OF Homer and Juvenal. Such
monumental care did these books re-
veal that every subsequent writer
upon this field must report first to
Mr. Bruce.
Every chapter in this book Is. for
the reader. starting point for many
the chapter on the Magistrates Court
opens up the whole question OF the
training OF the Virginians for the
great part that they were to play In
the American Revolution. recall
with gratitude a conversation with
William Writ Henry (tnink OF Rich
monds having within It's precincts
four such men as Moses d. Hoge
Hunter Mcguire. Joseph Bryan, and
William Writ Henry; each one not
only the ornament. respectively, OF
the ministry. medicine, Journalism and
law, but also embodying In his rich
peTsoHaltySlne nnestS culture and sciv1c
spirit OF the old domain. What q
legacy such memories are to any cityn
in which Mr.. Henry expressed his
views upon this subject. They so i'm.
pressed me that when I returned tc
my study I totted them down. Some
have maintained that the Virginians
received in the vestry their SCHOOLING
IN those qualities OF reasonab1eness
and statesmanlike moderation, which
have ever characterized their leader
ship in public affairs. Others are in
clined to think that It WIS the plan
5tation which, as miniature Kingdom
offered fertile field for roaring men
OF wisdom and human sympathy, like
Washing ton and Madison. Many more
insist that It was In the Democratic
arena Of the House OF Burgesses tina,
Richard Henry Lee and Thomas Jef.