The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-07

The reason for writing n new his
tory ~ Virginia is given by CoSwAr
Waffle SANS in a volume entitled
The Conquest Of Virginia oPutnams)
IN the introduction. He says the
whole story has never been told. Per-
haps he means that 1t has never been
told In one volume or in one series Of
volumes. for he the present
book as merely the first of a series
dealing with the subject.
Too many Of the histories have re-
garded the settlement OF N.rg MIA as
Il quiet and peaceful settlement. the
author tor editor?J opines. But IL so.
whore did Mary Johnston derive all her
...@I Indian tales and the h~airbreadth
escapes and adventures OF her early
hiSt.ric romanCes"
The present book Is a series NJ read
ings and selections taken from Bev-
er'cy- History and Present state Of
Virginia" Viewpoints Discoveries in
Virginia" Strachey's History OF Ira
vale ~ Virginia" Smiths True Re-
la;ion.' &c. i~ngcniouslv connected by
q few sentences here and there from
M, SANS. II is rather a record II his
own reading IN a favor.te topic than
an original volume. The preface. the
Introduction and the closing remarks
are Tho authors chief contribution.
Virginia has produced n the present
time very distinguished h .stor.an,
Mr.. Philip Alexander Bruce. who has
hccu at infinite pains to collect the
n, 81 minute data which would throw
1tr1. t,r.,t, ,iNa aa~i.s n.rtpl ~ shA
Sta;c. Mr.. Sams's quotations and con
meeting sentences arc a quick n easy
way Of making a book and one Is set
wondering II the succeeding volumes
are to he Of the same kinda series Of
readings from ether authors.
The preface. 1t il only fair to say.
is %poppered with pronouns hanging in
mldair with no available an~tecadcnts.
Sometimes one must look back a para
graph or two, fun OF names, for the
correct one upon which 20 hang a
swaying midair "hc." With Nirginia's
! respect and reverence for antcccden's
in general II seems unfair so TO NAL
treat II rob the parts of speech Of
Their irie relations. Tho sentences.
also. s,ragEle and arc unabashcd when
Nv 'f''A ''"'N '''.N ~ jus F'''
weak cnniunctions. and only resting
at a period when they arc too tired
To continue. Even the period ,locs not
prevent the neat sentence from ho-
| ginning with another conjunction.
The periodic sentence, the MS" Of colon
and semi-colon. the rationale IF para
graphing. in fact the use Of English
in it's literary or written form. were
apparently not a part of Mr.. Sanls's
education. II Is therefore on tho whole
an excellent device to construct the
| book from other writers. These writ
OPS. MANY If them. may have been
a. l.'tlr learned in their use Of English
as their present borrower: but ~ least
| thoy showed a better innate talent for
using language.
The introduction j. partially a sum
mary of historical events leading up TO
the first Virginia settlement and par
TALLY a comparison between the mo-
tives Of the Virginia settlers and those
Of other settlers on the North Amert-
can continent. The Virginia settle
mcnt, the author says, VAS a larger.
more significant and noblcr movement
than that OF the Plymouth settlement.
The authors grounds for this state
ment appear to he that II IL. in his
opinion. larger, more significant. 10
extend the influence Of the Church NJ
England than to extend any other
form of worship.
The illustrations are excellent and
the book il supplied with a painatak-
ing indcN. The maps are very inter-
cSting,