The quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Vol. 4, March, 1903-December, 1903Oregon Historical Society
History
The quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Vol. 4, March, 1903-December, 1903
Oregon Historical Society
Oregon -- History -- Periodicals
With Fisher rests the credit for the authorship in the main of the
Mythology portion of the third volume. Nemos relates that Fisher
sought his aid for this work soon after he came to the library,
believing that his previous training in philosophy fitted him for
mythology, and that Fisher obtained for him the continuation of the
volume, when in October, 1874, he left it "half finished" to accept
the editorship of the _Overland Monthly_. Nemos then being new to the
work, Harcourt revised his manuscript.
To Goldschmidt had been assigned the task of writing the treatise on
Indian languages for the third volume. The evidence of Nemos shows
that Goldschmidt prepared this part of the work, although the
quotation from the Literary Industries already given seems to show
that it was revised throughout once, and afterward rewritten, in part,
at least, by Bancroft. Goldschmidt also prepared the ethnographical
map of the coast.
Of the first volume, Oak wrote about half of the preface, and the
chapter on the Columbians, Harcourt the chapter on the Californians,
and Nemos and Savage the remainder, with the exception of a few slight
parts prepared by others.
In a compilation like the Native Races, there was of necessity much
matter printed in such a form that those who prepared it could not
claim the authorship. Of this character were the contributions of Mr.
Savage, the Spanish expert. Nemos also claimed to be the author of
parts of every volume except the fourth, but from his own statements
we learn that much of his work, like Savage's, consisted in making
translations.
The public acknowledgment made in the introduction of this work
concerning the part done by the several writers would be fair, if we
overlook the fact that its wording tends to give an exaggerated idea
of Mr. Bancroft's part in it--were the name of the latter but printed
on the title page as editor or compiler. But by omitting either word
he has announced himself to the world as author. His own explanation
for this seems to be that he considers himself responsible for the
work in treatment and style (Native Races I, Preface XIII), but the
real reason is no doubt to be found in a desire to give the work
standing in the literary world by ascribing it to one name already
quite widely known among book dealers and publishers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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