They have got some very original critical ideas in the
United States. The publishers of Mr. Horace Greeley's American Conflict, Messrs. Case, have sent round a circular to their agents, in which they explain that, as it is impracticable to contrast it properly with other histories of the conflict—especially Abbott's and Headley's, —a table of comparison with respect to certain numerical char- acteristics of the three books is annexed, showing the great
superiority of Mr. Greeley's. The tables in question are of this
kind :— ORZYLET. A.nnorr. ITELDLIY.
No. of Quotations given in the Entire Work 1,208 601 366 „ Foot-Notes „ 1, 2,695 183 ... 11
„ Dates 11 If
2,575 ... 663 ... 311 „ Pages occupied in Battle of Gettysburg 17 ... 13 ... 11
8te., &c., down a long column, from which the Messrs. Case wish it to be inferred that Mr. Greeley, who takes 17 pages to tell what Mr. Abbott tells in 13 and Mr. Headley in 11, and who has given 2,695 foot-notes where Mr. Abbott has given only 183 and Mr. Headley only 11, is superior to his rivals in a ratio compounded of the various ratios of 17 : 13 : 11, and 2,695 : 183 : 11 and so forth. The Messrs. Case evidently are not aware that in ir,r\. a- tire, as in currency, the quantity of the issue sometimes s- surea not the value, but the depreciation.
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