Page:Reviews of Bancroft's History of the Pacific States from British Quarterly Review and London Times.pdf/4

 Some of the sections of this work have, of course, already received separate treatment at the hands of that late able and conscientious American historian, Mr Prescott, whose "Conquest of Peru" and other works are more attractive than the vast majority of works of fiction. But the labor of Mr Bancroft is not by any means superfluous; it is rather necessary and supplementary, as showing the action of the Pacific States one upon another and what relation the development of one has borne to that of others. We get here, in fact, the history of the States, with all their interests, separate or conjoined. As a good example of Mr Bancroft's style, we may quote this passage, describing the condition of the world 400 years ago, when civilization began to make its way towards the West:

"It was a transition period from the dim twilight of the dark age to the brightness of modern thought; from an age of unquestioning faith to one of curiosity and scepticism. It waa a period of concretions and crystalizations, following one of many rarefactions; religion was embracing science; astrology was merging into astronomy; magic into physics; alchemy into chemistry; saltpetre was superceding steel in warfare; feudalism having fulfilled its purpose, was being displaced by monarchial power: intercourse was springing up between nations, and international laws were being made. Even the material universe and the realms of space were enlarging with the enlargement of mind. Two worlds were about that time unveiled to Spain, an oriental and an occidental; by the capture of Constantinople, ancient Greek and Latin learning was emancipated, and the Christian religion became settled as the faith of Europe; while towards the west, the mists of the ages lifted from the ocean, and, as if emerging from primeval waters, a fair, new continent, ripe for a thousand industries, stood revealed."

The work of Columbus occupies a special chapter, and this is succeeded by the discovery of Darien, the administration of the Indies, the discovery of the Pacific Ocean, the wars of the Spaniards, the colonization of Honduras, the conquest of Guatemala, and other matters, the career of the pioneer warriors being traced with much fulness. In the second volume, the author deals with Pizarro and Peru, the marvelous story being told again with great freshness—Castilla del Oro, the Indian revolts in Guatemala, Alvarado's expedition to Peru, affairs in Honduras and Nicaragua, the conquest of Chiapas, Panama and Peru, Drake and Oxenham's expedition, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, the Buccaneer, etc. In short, in theae pages is traced the history of Spanish Conquest and colonization in Central America, from the time when Rodrigo de Bastidas first touched Tierra Ferme to the close of the 18th century. "We have seen the sword and the cross side by side, without a shadow of right or recompense, enter and take possession of the broad ares from Darien to New Spain; then sitting down to wrangle and to rest" Some measure of cruelty and wrong is inseparable from the colonization of new States; but, as Mr Bancroft points out, the American Indians were, for the most part, docile, and submitted with philosophic resignation to the inevitable, which was too often infamous on the part of civilization and Christianity.

In a third and concluding volume, the author proposes to discuss at length the social, industrial and political condition of the country in the 19th century, particularly at the transitional epoch following the achievement of independence from Spain, and immediately afterwards. "Spain," as he observes, "is about to reap the reward of nearly three centuries of misrule. Through her indifference, the commerce of the western hemisphere had long since fallen into the hands of foreigners; and her colonies no longer desired to maintain their connection with the mother country, from which they had nothing to gain, and with whose interests they had little in common." With the issue of the third volume of this work, by no means the least im Mr Bancroft's history will become, and undoubtedly remain, the standard authority upon the Pacific States. In the completion of his formidable task, we wish him all success.