Show historians AND THEIR WORK american authors occupy foremost Forem places in the ranks ranka of those whom thol world honors views of what la Is the distinctive hla bl faculty whether breadth of vl in elon power or organization photo insight or narrative talent I 1 must vary as widely as historical styles rind ind alms but upon one requirement skill and patience in research all agree even the impressionistic author of the french revolution had to bewail in hla his Pre drederick derick the great tho the mountains moun tat ris of dust and ashes to be bai tumbled down to disengage the truly memorable it la is in tills this light that on one a notes with especial pleasure the remarks of james ford rhodes about the preeminent advantages ot of america in her historical depositories repositories deposit ories even foreign detractors he told the american antiquarian society must admire the easy and methodical ar ai ran gement of our historical materials the accessibility of our libraries and the various helps connected with them particularly since their own scholars still had to pore dore over books without indexes and delve unions among manuscripts in dusty archives the justice of his bis statement needs no corn com ment A remarkable historical zeal has long been manifested in america every state and nearly every large city has its historical library col cal leges and universities are jealous ot at their collections the hamlets la in our older localities have their his and genealogical societies I 1 and private accumulations are In numer able all freely at the service of at tho the investigator the organization before which mr air rhodes spoke has itself closed a century la in gathering a specialized ciali zed accumulation of almost unique fullness only the federal government may be accused of lagging behind new york evening post |