Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/706

 696 Reviews of Books King Philip's War,. . . with Biographical and Topographical Notes. By George W. Ellis and John E. Morris. (New York, The Grafton Press, 1906, pp. xiv, 326.) A history of King Philip's War which should be both readable and trustworthy has long been desired by students of early New England. The volume under review meets these requirements, being based upon careful research and written in clear narrative style. Of the two authors whose names appear on the title- page, Mr. Ellis has contributed the narrative with the references, and Mr. Morris has supplied the biographical foot-notes, the local descrip- tions, and the illustrations. Mr. Ellis has used his sources with discrimination and impartiality. His attitude toward those clerical annalists who ascribed a failure in arms to supernatural causes, and who laboriously sought the Scriptures to find some te.xt to excuse a merciless or criminal act, is refreshing and convincing. He rightly blames the English for their neglect in the earlier part of the war to take even the simplest precautions against surprise and ambuscades, for the long-continued refusal on the part of the authorities to enlist the services of the " friendly " Indians, and for their participation in needless acts of cruelty and torture. The death of Canonchet, says the author (p. 205), "was as honorable to him as its infliction and the shameful mutilation of his body was disgraceful to his enemies. Something of his lofty and dignified character seems to have impressed itself upon the grudging minds of his foes, but it called up no corresponding chivalry of action." Yet in no way should it be understood that the author is a sentimental apologist for the Indian. His unwillingness to place dependence upon any but credited sources and his summary rejection of many of the romantic legends connected with the war evidence his attempt to treat his subject with true historical discrimination. The volume is singularly free from errors or misquotations from authorities. It was not Williams (p. 26) who purchased the island of Rhode Island, and the author of the recent excellent little history of Rhode Island is not " Reichman " (p. 35). There is no adequate reason for placing the scene of Talcott's victory of July 2, 1676, at Natick, when contemporary evidence shows that it was at Nipsachuck. In its mechanical make-up the book reflects much credit upon the Grafton Press, who publish it as a part of the series edited by Dr. Henry R. Stiles. Cl.xrence S. Brigh.^m. Caiwallader Colden: a Representative Eighteenth Century OtHcial. By Alice Mapelsden Keys, Ph.D. (New York, Columbia University Press, The Macmillan Company, 1906, pp. xiv, 375.) Miss Keys's mono- graph is based primarily on the Colden Papers, two volumes of which have been printed by the New York Historical Society. She has also used the manuscript minutes of the Executive Council and the principal printed sources for the period covered. It does not appear,