CURRENT LITERATURE.
The History of Canada. By William Kingsford, LL.D. VoL VII. (1779-1807.) (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co.)—Dr. Kingsford continues to carry on his monumental work on the history of Canada. He remarks, we see in his preface, that the book has not been hospitably received in this country. The newspapers have been appreciative; but, if we read the somewhat vague language of the preface aright, it has not met with an adequate sale among those who might have been expected to welcome it. "It has been considered worthy of notice by an extremely limited number of those who have to safeguard the union of the component parts of the Empire." We greatly regret that the author should have had reason to make this complaint. It is scarcely a book for the ordinary buyer. This is the seventh volume, and two more -will be required before the history can be brought down to the union of the two Canadas (1841). This is not too much for the subject, but private shelves, not to speak of private houses, are not equal to the demand. Nevertheless, there must be public, or quasi-public, institutions enough to give the book an adequate support. That there are some highly interesting things in the book—things that it would be difficult to find elsewhere—need hardly be said. How few people in England, to take one instance, are aware that the people of Vermont entered into serious negotiations with British authorities for reunion to the Old Country ! On the question of the Maine Boundary, again, Dr. Kingsford has something to say, and he very properly illustrates it with a map. How the British Commissioner ever assented to an arrangement so manifestly preposterous it is now difficult to understand, except by remem- bering that there was much "Little England" feeling in those days. However, the discredit that attaches to the United States in the matter is ten times greater than anything that can be laid to the charge of Lord Ashburton. Daniel Webster knew that he was pushing a false claim. The maps in his possession demon- strated its injustice.
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