Book Reviews

BANOROFTS HISTOHY OF THE PACIFIC 8TATÖJ. Vol. XV. California. Vol. III., 1836-181 Hy Huuert Howe Bancrolt. San KnnciKC : A. L. Buncroft A Co., 8vo. pp 792. Prlcetl.50. Tlie work being aceomplished by this historian is Indeed wonderl'u!, botli as to the Bumber of volumes given to tlie public, and the quality and true merit of the work aooomplUhed. One cannot bul tliink of poor Buckle, with death mude bitter tn liini becallM he was able to show only ft tpleudid pórtico and roughhewn stones 8cattered about in the place of the 8tately building he had hoped to reur,and contrast bis metliod of writing blstory, unaided, and its disappointing results, with that of Mr. Bancroft, whlch is so steadily inoving tuwurd its goal. It might have sei-ined prettimption in the San Francisco bookseller to plan twenty five yeais ago to write a series of historical work In thirty-niue volumes. But with one-third of tlie woik alreadv done, and as mueh more in an advanced state of preparation, the project seems now to have been uo less well considered thau daring. 'Tüe Native Races of the Paclflo States,' which appeared in 1874, was intended merelf as an introduction to his main work, namely, histories of Central America, Mexico, the North Mexicin States and Texas, California, and the Northwest Coast. Tnere are four more volumes to follow this upon California, and the period covered by this volume, fiom 1825 to 1840, is perhaps tlie least known of any in its history. But yet it is not deroid of interest, upon the oontrary the historian gives many thrilling pages, and much that will Lmpress itself upon the oiemory of even the du liegt reader. The quality of telling tlie plain and simple truth, without exaggeralion, detraction or bias, is exceedingly rare in autliorsbip; yet it .ems to ue present in an cxtraonlinarv degree in the historici wiitings of Mr. llul.ert Bancroft. Sucli woiks, wrilten wilh tb precisión, warmth and vigor of the Pacltlc Histories, are d-stiiicd to inpplaiil liction. The unipotted Uste of a child as well as that of the eduoated man reveis in sucli liistory, anu were our Bunun bito mm . furnished with due proportion of (bete bookf ,the deniand for trashy liction woukl cease. Above all, places of secluded and narrow resources, like farmhouses, and camps, should tind supplics of such literature tudlspentable, forMtcbsurroundlugi glve the fallen opportanlty for thecharm and influcnce of good reading. Let a parent brtng home such a book as Mr. Bancrofs Pacific History of the States to whlch public attention is turnecl, where probably his children will sooner or later find tlieir home, and read its chapters with tbe family, or talk over his own reading with them, make t a reference, and he will lind in it a strong intlueuce toward correct and active thought. Teachers who wunt to awakeu the interest of their pupils, and put lifeintothelr studies, will lind their strongest aids in tin; discussion of such historv, with its fund of inforniation on every relative subject. The man or woman of tnste nceds but to read one chapter to recogiuze in the History of the Pacific States one of the great works of the century, one of the classics of American libraries. LINCOLN AND STANTON- ft Htmly of the Wsr AilmlnUlratlou of 1881 and 1862. wlth special consideratlon of soine Recent Statements of Gen. Geo. B. McClellau. By Wm. L. Kelley, M. C. New Yorki Q. P. Putnaiu m soiin. l'rlce '5 centa. For aale by AndrewH & Wltherhy. This is the 25)th of the series being issued by this house upoujthe " Questions of the Dy," and tlie authir, Hou. Wm. D. Kelley, had opportunities to fully understand ai 1 1 moveinents at the period spoken of. In fact, he was a part of "the power behtnd the throne.1' The language is clear and unuiistakable. The book is one that the man who keeps posted h tbc events of tbe day will want to read.