tudy among the older Harvard graduates, and mentioned the
fact that the principal historians of this country, including
himself, Prescott, Sparks, Motley, Palfrey and Parkman, were
all Harvard men and were eminent at a time when there were
scarcely any other eminent historical scholars in America.
He did not directly answer this question, but said that his
own inclination toward history, he thought, was due very much
to the influence of his father. He said his father would
have been a very eminent historian, if he had had material
at his command, and that he had a remarkably judicious mind.

He spoke of some clergymen, especially the Unitarian clergymen,
so many of whom belonged to Harvard at his time. He said
he had little sympathy for the Unitarianism of his day, "for
its theology, no; for its spirituality, yes."

He asked me about the Election Bill pending in the Senate.
I spoke of the great storm of abuse I had had to encounter
for advocating it, but said I thought on the whole the feeling
between the different sections of the country and different
political parties was better than it ever had been before
in this country, and much better than that which now existed
between different political parties in foreign countries.
He cordially agreed to this, and made some observations which
I do not now recall, but which were interesting and bright.

After we had talked together for some time, he said: "My
memory is very poor: I cannot remember your first name."
I said: "It is the same as yours, Mr. Bancroft--George."
He paused a moment with an amused and puzzled look, and said:
"What is your last name?" He had evidently known me very
well during most of the preceding part of the interview.

I told his son about this conversation the day after Mr.
Bancroft's death. He said that the presence of a visitor
acted in this way as a stimulant, but that he had not lately
shown much intelligence in the family, seeming lost and feeble.

CHAPTER XIX
VISITS TO ENGLAND
[1860, 1868, 1871]

I was born within a mile of the spot where the War of the
Revolution began. My ancestors and other kindred on both
sides took an active and prominent part in the struggle with
England. I am descended from the early Puritans of Massachusetts
in every line of descent. So it will readily be believed
that all my feeling and sympathy have been on the side of
my country in the great controversy with England, which began
with the exile