he
lack of such histories which makes incomplete and unsatisfactory such
works as the one in the hands of the government which called forth this
article. For it must not be supposed that the historical part of The
Social Statistics of Cities of 1880 will be either complete in every
part or wholly satisfactory. Yet perhaps it will be complete enough to
answer its end, which is to afford an opportunity for seeing why the
cities and towns described have reached their present condition. It is
on the accounts of their present condition that the value of the work
must chiefly rest.

To the historians in succeeding generations these accounts will be
invaluable, for they will give information about the cities as they were
in the year 1880, which is not likely to be embodied in any other
permanent form. It has been shown how large a proportion of the local
histories of America have been found wanting in these things. It is not
to be expected that the immediate future will see any decided
reformation. Then it is clear of how great value to the "future
historian of recent events," to quote one of Daniel Webster's phrases,
will be such work as this that has been undertaken by the National
government. It will be of so great value because, as we can say with
little exaggeration, the history of the cities is the history of the
nation. The city to-day plays a most important part in national affairs.
It is, indeed, and for aught we can see must continue to be, the Hamlet
of the play. Few people realize this. Few people know that over one
fifth of the population of the land is gathered in the large towns and
cities. At the beginning of the century the ratio of the urban
population to the rural was only as one to fifteen. No reason is
apparent why the increase in the ratio should not be equally steady and
rapid for many generations. That this same change has taken place in all
_civilized_ portions of the world is, in truth, most significant. In
England the progress of the cities has been in the same direction, and,
as nearly as can be judged, in the same ratio as that of wealth,
learning, and happiness.

Call to mind what Macaulay said, nearly half a century ago, in chapter
iii of his History of England: "Great as has been the change in the
rural life of England since the Revolution (1688), the change which has
come to pass in the cities is still more amazing. At present, a sixth
part of the kingdom is crowded into provincial towns of m