Monthly Bulletin - Clpdigital.org

REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS—OCTOBER 1913 367
has gathered the records of his stormy life together and worthily told
his story.
Brought up in sight of blue water, John Paul took kindly to the
sea. But it was by a very roundabout and varied course that he rose
from the berth of a middy in the British navy to be captain of the
Providence, of the American fleet. He had been in the merchant
marine before his midshipman days, and afterwards was in turn mate
of a slaver,—a position which he abandoned in disgust,—an actor, with
Moody in Jamaica, and a captain in the West Indian trade. He finally
succeeded in getting a ship of his own, when the unfortunate and half
accidental killing of a mutineer drove him into a retirement from
which he emerged with the new name Jones added to his patronymic
and with a commission of first lieutenant on the flagship Alfred, which
he manned and armed and over which he hoisted the first flag that ever
floated over an American ship of war. This commission was soon
changed to that of captain of the Providence, and his naval career in
the service of the new Republic was fairly begun.
The rest of John Paul Jones' career is a familiar story to every
schoolboy who has thumbed his history. But Mrs. de Koven has gone
over the old ground thoroughly and, alas! has found more than one
old tale untrue by the test of original documents.. .
His eager thirst for glory, his inborn aptitude for gentle and cultured
ways are borne out by this critical history, and we may now see
with greater clearness the times and occasions which developed these
qualities. . .
The last and not the least interesting chapter of the work deals
with the character of Jones. He was not vainglorious, but an open
and ardent lover of glory; sensitive in body and mind, prone to brood
over his misfortunes, clement and delicate in feeling, chivalrous and
loyal, fiery but humane,—a born leader of men." America, 1913.
(Call number 92 J4ii2d)
Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade
"General Meade has. . .been fortunate in his biographers. The first
was Colonel Bache, a cousin, who gave an admirable account of
Meade's personality. The second was Mr. Pennypacker, whose careful
military study of Meade's career, based on the War Records, has
been accepted as authoritative both at home and abroad. The work
now just published consists primarily of Meade's letters to his wife
during the Mexican and Civil Wars. These are connected by a thread
of biography supplied by his son, Colonel George Meade, with some
additions by his grandson, George Gordon Meade, who edits the whole.
This biographical matter is calm and clear in style, with no trace of
partisanship or special pleading. In its simplicity and reserve, indeed,
it foregoes opportunities for popular appeal. More than this, however,
there are over two hundred pages of appendices, in which are given the