in Canada naturally led to the independence of the American colonies, declared sixteen years later. If France had been victorious, and had been firmly planted on their northern border, the colonies would not have thought of separation from the British Crown; but, having no further apprehensions from without, they could freely consult their own political interests. During the seven years' war the Colonial Militia had been under British generals, learning the discipline and art of war. The number of men drawn from the colonies, particularly from those of New England, New York, and Virginia, was very large; at one time one in eight of military age in Massachusetts, and one in five or four in New Hampshire, were in service. Massachusetts, too, bore the cost of the expeditions under Sir William Phips, a burden probably as great in proportion to her resources as her share in the expense of the late Civil War. It was an exhausting, costly, and thorough school of arms, conducted by the British Ministry and its military officers, and it led to important consequences. The Home Government had not sought to hamper the colonies by religious tests or feudal tenures, and, except in restricting certain manufactures, its policy, on the whole, had been just and liberal; still, few statesmen had foreseen the rising power, or taken into account the free spirit of a people educated by adversity, and impatient of control from without. Had the Ministry forborne from interfering with local industries, left them free to set up foundries, factories, and shops, forborne to tax them without their consent, and given them representation in Parliament, the separation might have been long delayed. If any one could have proposed a fair scheme of federation, the British Empire might have been the one colossal power of the world; but federation was not one of the ideas of the eighteenth century, least of all in the mind of George III. At that time a colony was a dependency, to be governed by the royal pleasure, and colonists were distant people, with no share in Magna Charta, who would never absurdly think of intellectual or political equality with the mother country. With a lesson of history in mind, it will be interesting hereafter to follow the development of modern theories in the relations of Great Britain with such gigantic and widely separated dependencies as Australia and the Dominion of Canada. It will be momentous to be assured that the connections are at once firm and elastic, or that some happy equilibrium of forces may maintain a planetary harmony.

Parkman's works fulfil one condition indispensable for success : they are always attractive, often brilliant, and have a continuity of interest that holds the reader as under the spell of a great historical novel. In fact, the sustained and growing attraction of the series is irresistible. The reader sees that the author has made the amplest and most thorough preparations, and writes from full knowledge; yet

the narrative is clear of all tedious details, and the foot-notes indicate the sources. After observing the abundant citations, one is not surprised to learn that, in addition to the library of printed authorities that have been drawn upon, no less than seventy large folios of MSS. have been accumulated by the author. But the chief merit, next after historical accuracy, is in having so distilled all the contemporary memoirs and relations as to give their essence in a spirited and effective way. The series of works covers a broad field and a long space of time, but the transit is made with pleasure, and at the end one is able to recall all its striking incidents like the memory of a gallery of pictures. Parkman's nature is nervous and energetic, and his style has a quality that does not invite repose; still, it is difficult to see how the stately movement of certain great histories could have been followed in treating of life among the Indians, or of events that were so unexpected and often so thrilling and tragic. His use of language is naturally forcible and often picturesque, but evidently he has not attended to verbal nicety, or cared to attain to the serenity which characterizes writers like Prescott: he is too fervid in temper and too strong in conviction for that, and he indulges in emphasis like an impassioned story-teller. Doubtless, there are many sentences which a severer taste would have dictated in more simple language, but even a critical reader will bear with the occasional stress for the sake of the general effect, and of the many passages that are powerful and memorable.

Readers will notice the many graphic pictures of scenery in these books. The author is at home in aboriginal woods, by the banks of rivers, among lonely mountains, and on the shores of sylvan lakes. He seems to know every tree and bush, every wild animal, fish, and bird. The scenes he sketches have the power of truth, and we feel sure, as we read, that so bloomed the wild flower as he passed, so spread its boughs the tree, so lay in coils of light the river, so sang or poised in air the bird. With most writers, even with those who appear to love Nature, their descriptions have only a general truth; their landscapes are the conventionalized sentiment of Nature; while, in the pages of Parkman, we are impressed by a vividness in form and colour which could only come from long and affectionate familiarity. The trees, shrubs, grass, and living creatures are all individualized, so that in mass and in detail they seem to have been photographed. This faculty gives a singular charm to many of the recorded adventures, especially when the author sketches the splendid figures of the Indians-with bodies and limbs of Greeks in bronze-their celerity of movement, their startling ornaments and equipment. In fact, this faculty, born of the all-observing eye, inspires us with confidence in every situation. We identify ourselves

with the observer and narrator. We see and hear with him, and at the close we seem to have ourselves passed through the events and scenes, and to think of them as of our own experience.

Parkman appears generous as well as just in his estimate of French explorers and pioneers. His accounts of La Salle and his lieutenant Henri de Tonty, of Cartier and Champlain, of Bouquet, the gallant French-Swiss officer, and of Count Frontenac, Governor of Quebec, may be instanced as admirable pieces of historical portraiture. He is as fair to Montcalm as to Wolfe. He does justice to the bravery. and self-devotion of the Jesuits. If there is a trait of noble character he is zealous to exhibit it. But with the system on which the French colony was established he has no sympathy; as against royalty, feudality, and privilege he is a New England democrat; as against Papal pretensions and Jesuitic intrigues he is a liberal-minded Protestant. But when he refers to the New England colonies, and to their sacrifices and virtues, he is not a blind adulator, for he freely admits their faults and criticizes their errors.

A multitude of stirring and important events come to mind in rereading these volumes. One that stands out most vividly is the massacre of the French Huguenots in Florida by Menendez, followed by the stern vengeance of Dominick de Gourgues. The Spanish fort at St. Augustine, the sand-hills around that old town, and the long white shore of Anastasia Island opposite-as well as the remains of the French fort in Carolina-have had for the present writer a deep and melancholy interest since Parkman's thrilling account of those tragedies was published. From that early time down to the planting of the Cross of St. George on the rock of Quebec what a succession of picturesque figures appeared on the shifting scene! Pioneers, sailors, soldiers, priests, governors, with dreams of empire and viceregal state, representatives of the haute noblesse, peasants, coureurs du bois, hunters and trappers, wily traders, seigneurs like De Saint Castin, and patriarchs like Sir William Johnson, surrounded by dusky Hagars in their sylvan harems, thick-witted parvenus like Sir William Phips, grave young leaders like Washington, with destiny in their calm eyes, dark and powerful Napoleons of the woods, like Pontiac, Evangelines of ruined, hapless Acadia, and heroes like Montcalm and Wolfe, whose fame is united for ever!

Comment upon the separate volumes would lead us too far. It is enough to indicate their quality, and the importance of the subject for all readers of English. It may be added that the thoroughness with which Parkman has done his work renders it quite unlikely that any later historian will supplant him. His works have a solid foundation, and will endure, something which cannot be said with certainty of some of the most brilliant histories written in the United States.

Parkman is rather above middle height, slender and sinewy, with a thin but agreeable and thoughtful face, and engaging manners. He lives in summer at Jamaica Plain, one of the suburbs of Boston, where he is noted as a successful cultivator of roses, a taste which he shares with the venerable Bancroft. In winter he lives in Chestnut Street, Boston, on what is known as Beacon Hill, near the beautiful Common, and but a short distance from the house once occupied by Prescott. It is an interesting fact that Bancroft once lived on the other side of the Common, and that Motley also lived on Beacon Hill; so that the four leading American historians were residents of the same part of one city, and were virtually neighbours.

F. H. UNDERWOOD.

[Note to page 656.-The statement that "the French part of its people has hardly held its ground" in Canada, refers to the Dominion as a whole; it is not true of the Province of Quebec by itself. There the French are increasing, ɔn account of having large families, at a rate far beyond that of the British.]

MR. DAVITT'S TREATMENT OF IRISH

STATISTICS.

HE Irish landlords have appealed for compensation. Under these

THE Irish stances, dir. Michael Davitt has felt it to be his duty" to

warn the people of England of the true character of the claimants." In performing this neighbourly office Mr. Davitt has paraded before the public a mass of statistics. With these statistics I propose to deal, by pointing out that, while some of them have been inaccurately stated, others, owing to certain omissions and the novel method of presentment adopted, are, though correctly given, calculated only to obscure the very matter which they profess to illustrate. To adopt any other course would entail a dereliction on my part of that social duty which Mr. Davitt is at such pains to perform. I propose, however, to confine myself to a criticism of these statistics, and to a short comment on the interpretations placed upon them.

With the claim of the Irish landlords and their position relative to the English people, I shall have nothing to do, and for two reasons. In the first place, because the attacks now habitually made upon the rights of Irish landlords in their own property have been sufficiently dealt with, notably by Professor A. V. Dicey, in the last number of the CONTEMPORARY REVIEW; in the second place, because such a course is, I submit, by no means essential to the completeness of an answer to Mr. Davitt. For though Mr. Davitt begins by exposing the wickedness of the Irish landlords for the benefit of the English people, yet long before he has got midway through his argument the English people are forgotten, and he unexpectedly concludes with an appeal to the Irish landlords to make terms with their adversary whilst they are in the way with him. And with Mr. Davitt for their adversary, it is needless to say that the terms are Home Rule and