Dickens and Mesmerism

1958, and thereafter was an associate at the Huntington Library.His close friend, R. A. Billington, has collected together thirty of Nevins' essays, several previously unpublished.They are divided into five groups.The first, 'The purpose of history', illustrates his great concern with the presentation of history.It should never be dull and must be presented in a lively, yet graceful, manner, as Nevins himself demonstrated superbly.The other essential ingredients are, thorough- ness, objectivity and complete honesty.In the second part, 'Broadening historical horizons', articles on forms of historical exposition are presented, and in the third, 'The historian and the social sciences', Nevins deals with social history, to which he contributed so importantly.Part four, 'Tools for the historian's kitbag' is concerned with historiographical methods, and space is naturally given to oral history, the origins of which largely stem from Nevins.Finally, there is 'Great historians of the nineteenth century', all of them historians of America.Each selection is introduced by the editor, who also provides a lengthy introduction.Of Allen Nevins' enormous contribution to American history, in particular, and to history as a discipline in general, there can be no doubt.Mr. Billington must, therefore, be congratulated and thanked for providing us with such an excellent distillate of this remarkable achievement.Historians of all varieties should keep a copy of this book near them and dip into it repeatedly.