George Wharton James

Picturesque Pala by George Wharton James

In 1905, meticulous researcher, astute observer, and wonderful writer, George Wharton James, published his 25-year study of the 21 California Missions. Of the dozens of that era’s popular Mission books, In and Out of the Old Missions of California remains a valued resource for those interested in the subject. This faithful reissue of that volume (with original page numbers retained to facilitate citations)contains all that made it unique: • Generously illustrated chapters, with images rarely seen elsewhere • Detailed discussions and illustrations of the decorative art, silver and brassware, and • A special chapter on the nine asistencia (sub-missions) The eBook contains all 142 of the original black and white phtographs and illustrations. This book is an essential early reference study and an enduring treasure for today's reader.

From the book:Between twenty and thirty years ago, I became involved in a series of occurrences and conditions of so painful and distressing a character that for over six months I was unable to sleep more than one or two hours out of the twenty-four. In common parlance I was "worrying myself to death," when, mercifully, a total collapse of mind and body came. My physicians used the polite euphemism of "cerebral congestion" to describe my state which, in reality, was one of temporary insanity, and it seemed almost hopeless that I should ever recover my health and poise. For several months I hovered between life and death, and my brain between reason and unreason. In due time, however, both health and mental poise came back in reasonable measure, and I asked myself what would be the result if I returned to the condition of worry that culminated in the disaster. This question and my endeavors at its solution led to the gaining of a degree of philosophy which materially changed my attitude toward life. Though some of the chief causes of my past worry were removed there were still enough adverse and untoward circumstances surrounding me to give me cause for worry, if I allowed myself to yield to it, so I concluded that my mind must positively and absolutely be prohibited from dwelling upon those things that seemed justification for worry.

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