History In The Magazines

It was said by a biographer of Edward Everett that he was a man of one idea, and that idea the edueation of the pe( ple. The concentration of the mind uporf-such a thought would not be likely to result in narrowness. If Mr. Everett had lived to our day, he would have geen bis desire realized in soine wonderful ways. As an educator of the people, our periodical press is performing a service tbat would have filled him with enthusiasm. Not lo speak of the attention devoted by the daily and weekly newspapers to reports of scientific lectures and discussions, and to all sorts of literary and educational topics, look at the work now performed by the grcat magazines. Wïien one examines the contents of a magazine like The Oentury, and then thinks of the phenomenal circulation, by which it reaches every month six or seven hundred thousand readers, he sees that it is promoting the edueation of the people in a magnitícent way. Even the diversion furnished is educational ; for the stories are all of a high order, and readers who have got a taste for sucli fiction as that of Mr. Howells or Mr. Cable are not likely to return to the beggarly elementa of the flash novéis. The education of the taste, througli the presentation of the most exquisite specimens of wood-engraving the world has ever seen, is another contribution to the cause so dear to Mr. Everett. The populurization of science by means of iinely illustrated articles on various " v uuvuiui IllOtUl I, 15 1 11 IJ 1 1 1 (Tl eftective method of popular oducatior employed by the magazine. And a still more important service is the publication, in serial form, of bistorical studies of the highest valué. Take such a work as Dr. Eggleston's " üistory of Life in the Thirteen Colonies," now appearing in the pages of The Century. No more important addition to American history lias latcly been attempted ; and the chapters already published show with what elaborate carefulness of preparation, what coiiscientioiisness of detail, what mastery of materials, and what felicitous literary art, the work is to be done. Dr. Eggleston is a boni story-teller; ampie journalistic training bas tanght him to seize the sülient points of au event and set them before the reader vividly. and succinctly ; while his native fairness and veracity inake it certain that he will never overdraw or distort his historica] pictures. The nice juetice with which his work is do:;e is seen in the first chapter, which sketches the .lamestown colony. Dr. Eggleston is himself a Virg-inian by descent; but he does not fail to set in a clear light the character of the first colonists. " Poor gentlemen, tradesmen, serving-men, libertines, and such like, ten times more fit to spoil a commonwealth than eilher to begin one or but help to maintain one "- such was the judgment pronounced upon them by one of themselves, and quoted by the author. The law of natural selection, liowever, worked mercifully herej such characters were not fit to survive, and they did not. Famine and hardship weeded out the colonv. umi Inft nnlv t.h sturdiest. Dr. Esrgleston's portrait of Captain John Smith is painted with warm colors. lie has a liking for the doughty old egotist, as have most of the students of that peiiod. It is evident tliat Captain John had some good reasons for thinking well of liimself. Boaster he was, but lie was likewise fighter, writer, builücr, ruler. Tlie estímate put upon him by this author will recall that of Professor Tyler in bis "History of American Literature." These two students have wrought iudependently in this field of colonial history, and Professor Tyler's delineation of the colonial ufe is only incidental to hls main purpose ; but the histories, when complete, will supplement each other. Both writers have the same aptitude for research, and the sameskill of presentatiou; of Dr. Eggleston's history t may be said, as t was said by The Nation of Professor Tyler's, that it is more ïnteresting than most novéis. The second installment of tliis work, which treats of " The Planting of New England," is equally falthful and equally felicitous. Dr. Eggleston hits closely comprehended the relation of the Plymotith Separatists tothe English Church, and the causes of their removal flrst to Holland, and then to America; ,e estimates the leaders of the movement, Bradford,Brewster, Kobinson, ai.d the rest, ve;y justly; he gives a vivid picture of the early life at Plymouth, and in thecolony of Massa - chuselts Bay. The author is neither n Puritan, nor the son of a Puritan; bnthe does large justice to the men who founded New England. The title of this history should not be lijrhtly passed over by the reader. It isa history of life in the thirteen colonies. Tlie lolitical complications, the wars, the doings of governors and kings, are only toiichcd upon in ao far as they affect the lift: of tlie peoplc; the alm is to present, witli nli possiblc fullness, tlie fumily life, the religious life, the social life, the industrial lile, the commercial life, of the whole people. Macaulay's famous Th i ril Chapter is a type of the histnrical studies to whieh this volume will be largely devoted. It is a new kind of hlstory, hut it is the noblest kind - more difflcnlc to write, no doubt, but far better worth reading than the stories of battles and cabals with which our books of history are commonly crowded. It is a matter of congratularon that this work has fallen into the hands of so painstaking and skillful a writer, and that, by the manner of its publication, it is brought under the eyes of such a multitnde of readers. The latest from Lansing shows that the Ferry forces are conducting their campaign in a fair and manly way, and are confident of ultímate success. The followers of Hubbell are demoraiized and casting about for some one on whom to fasten their hopes. Some will vote for Ferry who were not iu the chuciis.