Grace, Pierce C. Outlines of History, compiled for the use of Schools and Academies. New York: Edward Dunigan and Brothers, 1853. [6951]
Black leather spine with black cloth boards, head of spine chipped with loss, 4 x 6 1/4 inches, small bookplate of "Young Men's Catholic Literary Institute, of Elmira." 302 clean pp., 2 pp. publisher's adverts, tight. Good. Hardcover.
A history of the word beginning with the Creation to the early 19th century. Only 16 pp. are devoted to the period after the end of the American Revolution.
Written from the point of view of a Catholic, a point of view given that is not found in many 19th-century histories printed in the United States. The author tends to give credit where credit is due for accomplishments and leadership, but will mention the subject's faults from his own religious scruples. He defends Queen Mary and disparages Queen Elizabeth, for instance; and although Cromwell "administered the government with great ability" and "he made the English Commonwealth respected throughout the world," and was "one of the most extraordinary men of modern times," "his character, however, is distinguished by many traits which render his name odious...his hypocrisy was only equalled by his ruthless cruelty...he was deeply imbued with the religious fanaticism which formed so prominent a feature in the characters of his puritanical followers."
"Modern" history is related according to country, with separate chapters for France, England, Spain, America, &c.
