New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-28

Me BASED upon Original and Contem-
poraneous Records BY Philip Ale%an-
der Bruce LII y. Two Volumes. 49, 80,
pp xiii, 7o7; vi, '9'. IT, r putnam
Sons.
. Mr.. Bruce is TO be congratulated upon
the successful completion of task OF
great historic value and importance.
Begun in 1895 with the Economic
History of Virginia in the Seven
teenth Century" continued eleven years
later with a social history of the state
during the same period, the work as
whole deserves 1.-The attention and praise
which were bestowed Oh its earlier parts
a. the time of their appearance. In the
long list Of state histories produced by
American scholarship this study OF the
Old Dominion in every important phase
of the first century of its existence
ranks among the very first for compre-
hensiveness. breadth and thoroughness
Of research and clearness of presenta-
ton. And If Mr. Bruce's local prlde' 1ed
so richly and nobly on what II was
recording. leads him TO push too FAR his
congratulations in the wider field OF ma
tional history. his claims are at least
understandable to the -Nirginian
reader. he he Puritan or KnlCkerhocker.
The author has drawn his material not
only from the original records preserved
in this country. but also from the great
English repositories. chief among them
the British Public Record offices.
.1nr~iopfinnelV gives in
footnotes his authorities for speclhc
statements, and. in addition. furnishes
a photography which the student OF sew
enteenth century Virginia will do well
70 collate with those appended 10 the
two earlier works. In the allotment Of
space in the volumes now before u.s. re
lieion and morals, education and legal
administration. occupy the first. the
military system Of the colony and It's
pclitical conditions the second. the last
named topic appropriately requiring
nearly twice the amount Of space given
10 any Of the others.
Throughout. and this is inevitable, MI
Bruces study is new proof OF the es-
sentially and intensely aristocratic Eng
lish tone Cf the life Of the seventeenth
century Virginia. Its settlers were Eng
lishmen. who brought with them, chung
10 and handed down 10 their children
the social system, the Established
Church, the culture. the education, so
far as that could he transplanted and
adapted 10 the new environment and
the legal principles of the home country.
They improved. Mr. Bruce points out,
upon the morals Of their time at home,
and simplifed the complicated English
court system, but without radically
changing the English law except in two
particulars. They graduated the penal
ties for many offences that in England
were punished with death. and they
adopted regulation requiring the pub
lie recordation Of deeds which at home
were regarded as private property, as
family papers" But otherwise, seven
teenth century Virginia was trans
planted seventeenth century England,
with an aristocracy Of large land own
ers. the professions being. as in Eng
land part of the aristocratic system:
In summarizing the particulars in which
the general system of Virginia diverged
from that of England In the seventeenth
century, they are found 90 be few IN num-
Der. and not, in every instance. OF great
importance in their influence. They con
sisted, first. Of the extensive, as opposed
To the intensive, methods Of cultivation,
secondly Of the presence OF the African
slave. who whilst he fostercd In the dom
inant class the love Of liberty and an arts
tocratic spirit, was. nevertheless, incOngru-
Gus with the genius of English insiitu-
tons: thirdly in the practical absence OF
the law Of primogeniiure. fourthly, of the
custom Of hiring clergymen by the year
ing them "A permanent freehold interest In
their lvings by the ceremony Of induction,
filthy. OF the smallness In the number OF
free grammar schools siXthly. OF the rec
ordatiOn Of deeds; seYenthly, Of less com
plicated system OF courts and a simpler
legal procedure. cighthly. OF a system Of
military tactics adapted TO a running fight
in thick forests. ninthly, Of "A suffrage
which al first lup 20 the Restoration
rested upon manhood alone; tenthly of an
Assembly that represented, not only all
classes, like the English Parliament. but
also every individual person belonging 10
the several constituencies and. finally, Of
q legislative BODY whose members, unlike
those sitting ~ ST stephens. received a
recunary remuneration for their services.
In Mr.. Bruce's eyes Virginia, the
Mother of Presidents Is also above all