was of that greatest human type: a man of the present,
valuing justly the past and no dreamer. In the nature and extent of his
studies, in the solidity of his work, and in the philosophic spirit which
animated his life he ranks as the foremost historian of the United States,
and as an American historian second to none of his European contemporaries
in [v.03 p.0308] the same line. He displayed the heroic, epic value of
American history, its unity with the great central stream, and dispelled
for ever the extravagant conceptions of a sentimental world just emerging
from the visionary philosophy of the 18th century.

See M. A. de Wolfe Howe, _The Life and Letters of George Bancroft_ (New
York, 1908).

(W. M. S.)

BANCROFT, HUBERT HOWE (1832- ), American historical writer, was born at
Granville, Ohio, on the 5th of May 1832. From 1852 to 1868 he was a
bookseller in San Francisco. During this period he accumulated a great
library of historical material, and at last gave up business in order to
devote himself to the publication of his _Native Races of the Pacific
States_ (5 vols. 1874-1876), _History of the Pacific States of North
America_ (21 vols. 1882-1890), and other works. For the collection of data
he necessarily relied upon the labours of a corps of assistants, and the
publications named represent, properly speaking, an encyclopaedia rather
than a unified history; but as a storehouse of material their value is
great and is likely to be enduring. In 1905 Bancroft's vast collection was
acquired by the university of California. An account of his methods of work
is given in his _Literary Industries_ (1890).

BANCROFT, RICHARD (1544-1610), archbishop of Canterbury, was born at
Farnworth in Lancashire in 1544. He was educated at Cambridge, first at
Christ's College and afterwards at Jesus College. He took his degree of
B.A. in 1567 and that of M.A. in 1570. Ordained about that time, he was
named chaplain to Richard Cox, then bishop of Ely, and in 1575 was
presented to the rectory of Teversham in Cambridgeshire. The next year he
was one of the preachers to the university, and in 1584 was presented to
the rectory of St Andrew's, Holborn. His abilities, and his zeal as a
champion of the church, secured him rapid promotion. He graduated B.D. in
1580 and D.D. five years later. In 1585 he was appointed treasurer of St
Paul's cathedral, London, and in 1586 was made a member of the
ecclesiastical commission. On the 9th of Februar