New England Historical Register. Vol. xxvII, pp. 42–50. New York Daily Advertiser. October 12, 1825. Newhall, J. P. A Glimpse of Iowa in 1846. Burlington. 1846. Nilson, Svein. Nordmündene i Amerika, in Skandinavisk BilledMagazin. 1869. Norelius, E. De Svenska Luterska Församlingarnas och Svenskarnes Historia i Amerika. Rock Island, Ill. 1890. Otteson, Jacob, Aal. Kort Uddrag af den norske Synodes Historie. Decorah, Iowa. 1893. Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Vols. I-XVI. Numerous articles. Peterson, C. F. Sverige i Amerika. Chicago. Peterson, C. F., and Erik Johnson. Prärieblomman. Kalender för 1905. Progressive Men of Iowa. Vol. II. 1898. Svenskarne i Illinois. Chicago. Edited by A. Schön. Rock Referat öfver Förhandlingarna vid Augustana Synodens Fyrtiofemte Arsmöte i Lindsborg, Kansas. Rock Island, Ill. 1904. Register and Leader, The. Des Moines, Iowa. May 29, 1904. Reierson, John. Veiviser for Emigranter. 1843. Republikaneren. Lake Mills, Iowa. Feb. 9, 1900. Rynning, Ole. Sandfärdig Beretning om Amerika til Veiledning og Hjälp for Bonde og Menigmand. 1837. Scandinavia. Chicago. 1883. 1869. Skandinaven. Chicago. Oct. 25, 1898; Jan. 23, 1899; July 14, 1902; Svithiod. Des Moines, Iowa. Various numbers in 1900-1901. United States Census. Unonius, Gustaf. Vig, P. S. Wick, B. L. 1898. 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900. De Danske i Amerika. Blair, Neb. 1901. Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, Vol. x1, pp. 1–16. Wist, Joh. B. Den norske Indvandring til 1850 og Skandinaverne i Amerikas Politik. Madison, Wis. 1889. THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA IOWA CITY GEORGE T. FLOM SOME PUBLICATIONS Provincial America (1690-1740). By EVARTS BOUTELL Greene. Vol. VI of The American Nation, edited by ALBERT BUSHNELL HART. New York and London: Harper & Brothers. Pp. xxi, 356. 1905. This volume will be welcome as covering a period of American history heretofore less assiduously cultivated than any other, excepting, of course, the last few decades. Lamartine's saying that "history is neither more nor less than biography on a large scale" finds neither illustration nor support in this volume. The treatment is decidedly that of measures rather than of men. On the other hand, the chapters on Provincial Leaders and Provincial Culture emphasize the individual human element, thus making the view point sufficiently bilateral, so that even the shade of Carlyle could not find just cause for complaint. The chief difficulty, perhaps, in writing the history of this period is that of combining adequacy of treatment with the avoidance of a too detailed inquiry into the affairs of each political unit. The colonies present diversities both as to tendencies and as to actual conditions; and, while these must not be ignored, the point of view of the individual colony has the defect of making the account detached and fragmentary. This difficulty is skillfully met. The author views his field from a distance sufficiently great to get a comprehensive perspective, yet not so great as to lose sight of important fea tures. The text everywhere bears evidence of an independent and judicious use of sources; there is little or no threshing of old straw. The treatment is dynamic rather than static; that is to say, we have here neither a narrative nor mere description. At any given time conditions are presented as shaping themselves before the reader, and the forces at work producing change, making history, are both clearly discerned and skillfully correlated with the results. This I conceive to be real history. Much of what passes as history is simply introductory to history, a more or less well arranged accumulation of sources. It has been said that history begins where a series of events are held together by a definite idea, the evolution of which may be traced from its semi-consciousness, until, breaking all resistance, it has founded its dominion, reaching finally the point when its power, after unfolding, is exhausted, and the idea itself is destroyed.1 History is reconstructing the past. But the past was alive and active. While narrative and description do not constitute history, neither does a study of social and political causes, if treated statically. This is recognized by the author of this volume. We are not simply told what existed or what was taking place or why; we see things actually spring into being. Again, instead of relying for adequacy upon much detail, which, with all respect for some of the more pretentious American writers, has to some extent been done, the present author makes the discussion searching and critical rather than detailed. And these two methods are, again, a world apart. The modern historian is expected to be fair and broad in his treatment of the parties to any controversy. This is naturally becoming easier as he is being removed farther from the period studied both in time and in direct interest-other than that of the scholar. It is a matter of common observation that many have sinned in this respect - both of English and American writers. The course between Scylla and Charybdis is difficult. A scientific study requires balance in the space given to each side of the case as well as freedom from bias. The historian must in no sense be polemical. The times and conditions are to him objects of dispassionate scientific inquiry. In this respect the present volume seems to fulfill every reasonable requireSufficient attention is given to English economic and political conditions to make the colonial problems intelligible, yet the author ment. 1 P. O. Schött in Nyt. Tidsskrift for 1882-'83. never loses sight of the fact that he is writing a history of the Colonies and not of England. Passing from this brief and very inadequate characterization of the volume to the contents, we are reminded that the period covered has, as the editor observes, been called "The Forgotten Half-Century." Some dusty corners are inspected, a few jungle paths are explored and cleared up, while perhaps some well worn highways are partly neglected. The first chapter gives a comparative view of the colonies as to race, religion, economic conditions, and government, and an interpretation of English colonial policy up to 1689. The study is brief, but valuable in its point of view, and has the freshness of independent, original treatment. Then follow some chapters on colonial government and attempts at colonial reorganization following upon the glorious revolution, discussed in a way that indicates a firm grasp of the political situation, both in England and America. The result of this attempt is characterized as a compromise. The conservatism of the Government succeeding the Stuart regime, British interests tending toward the extension of imperial authority, the exertions of English partisans to secure the enforcement of imperial regulations, the witchcraft frenzy, the conditions operating to bring about the segregation of local colonial interests from the larger interests of the Empire, whereby the colonies incurred the charge of disloyalty—such are some of the themes of these chapters. The content of chapter vi is sufficiently indicated by its caption, Puritans and Anglicans. The theme is the growth of more liberal ideas among the former, the expansion of the latter, and church discipline. Chapters VII to x discuss the French wars. cal, and ethnic conditions are all done justice. Geographical, politi Then follow chapters on Provincial Politics; Provincial Leaders; Immigration and Expansion; Founding of Georgia; Provincial Industry; Provincial Commerce; Provincial Culture; and a Critical Essay on Authorities. The Walpole-Newcastle regime, the relation of the colonies to the home government as indicated largely by the |