# Letters concerning the English Nation/A Letter concerning the Burning of Altena

A
LETTER
Concerning the
Burning of ALTENA,
As related in the
History of Charles XII.
KING of SWEDEN.
A
LETTER
CONCERNING THE
Burning of ALTENA,
As related in the
History of Charlrs XII.
Paris 25 April 1733.
THE great Difficulty we have in France of getting Books from Holland, is the Reason why the ninth Tome of the Bibliotheque Raisonnée came but late to my Hands. And I will observe by the way, that if the Journal is equal to the Pieces I have perused in it, 'tis a Misfortune for our Men of Letters in France, that they are not acquainted with that Work.
​In Page 496, Part II. of the ninth Tome abovemention'd, I found a Letter in which I am accus'd of aspersing the City of Hamburgh in the History of Charles the Twelfth.
A few Days since one Mr. Richey of Hamburgh, a Scholar and a Man of Merit, having honoured me with a Visit, revived the Complaint I just now mention'd in the Name of his Fellow-citizens.
Here follows the Relation I gave, and what I my self am obliged to declare. In the Heat of the unhappy War which made so dreadful a Havock in the North, the Counts of Steinbok and of Welling, the Swedish Generals, form'd Anno 1713, in the very City of Hamburgh a Resolution to burn Altena, a Trading City, and Subject to the Danes; for the Commerce of this City began to flourish so much, that the Hamburghers grew a little Jealous of it.
This Resolution was executed unmercifully in the Night of the Ninth of January. These Generals lay in Hamburgh that very Night; they lay in it the ​Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth; and dated from the last mention'd City the Letters they wrote to clear themselves, from the Imputation of being the Authors of so barbarous a Catastrophe.
'Tis besides certain, and the Hamburghers themselves don't deny it, that the Gates of their City were shut against several of the Inhabitants of Altena; against old Men, and big-belly'd Women, who came to implore an Asylum; and that several of these unhappy Wretches expired under the Walls of Hamburgh, frozen with Cold, and oppress'd with Misery, at the same time that their Country was burnt to Ashes.
I was oblig'd to insert these Particulars in the History of Charles the Twelfth. One of the Persons who furnished me with Materials, declares in his Letter, in the most positive Terms, that the Hamburghers had given Count Steinbok a Sum of Money, in order to engage him to destroy Altena, as being their Rival in Trade.
​I did not however adopt so grievous an Accusation. What Reason soever I may have to be convinc'd of the great Depravity of Mankind, I yet was never so Credulous with regard to Crimes. I have combated, and that efficaciously, more than one Calumny; and am even the only Man who dar'd to justify the Memory of Count Piper, by Arguments, at the Time that all Europe slander'd him by Conjectures.
Instead therefore of following the Account which had been communicated to me, I contented myself with relating, That it was reported, some Hamburghers had given a Sum of Money secretly to Count Steinbok. This Report became universal, and was founded on Appearances. An Historian is allow'd to insert Reports, as well as Facts, and when he publishes a general Report, an Opinion, merely as an Opinion, and not as Truth, he is neither responsible for it, nor ought to be accus'd in any manner for so doing. But when he is inform'd that this popular Opinion is false and slanderous, 'tis ​then his Duty to declare it, and to thank, in a publick Manner, those who have undeceived him.
This is exactly my Case. Mr. Richey has prov'd to me the Innocence of his Fellow-citizens, and the Bibliotheque Raisonée has also very solidly refuted the Accusation levelled against the City of Hamburgh. The Author of the Letter against me, is only to blame for saying that I positively asserted that the City of Hamburgh was guilty; but he ought to have made a Distinction between the Opinion of one part of the North, which I gave as a vague, random Report, and the Affirmation with which he charges me. Had I indeed declared, That the City of Hamburgh purchas'd the Ruin of the City of Altena, I then wou'd have ask'd Pardon in the most humble manner for making such an Assertion, being persuaded that there is no Shame on these Occasions, but to persist in a Fault when 'tis prov'd to be such. But I declare the Truth, in relating that such a Report was spread; and I also declare the Truth, in ​assuring the World, that upon enquiring strictly into this Report, I find it entirely groundless. I am also to declare, that Altena was infected with contagious Distempers at the Time of the Fire. The Hamburghers I am assured had no Hospitals, no Place were they might shelter from the rest of the People, the old Men and the Women who died in their Sight. They therefore cannot in any manner be accus'd for refusing them Admittance. We are always to prefer the Preservation of our own City to the Safety of Strangers. I shall take the utmost care to have this Incident corrected in the New Edition of the History of Charles the Twelfth, now printing at Amsterdam, and the whole shall be set down agreeable to the most scrupulous Truth, which I always profess'd, and will prefer to all Things.
I also heard, that in some Weekly Papers, certain Letters of the Poet Rousseau, (as injurious as ill written) have been inserted relating to the Tragedy of Zayre. This Author of several Plays, all of which were hiss'd off the Stage, censures ​a Dramatick Piece to which the World gave a pretty indulgent Reception: and this Man who has writ so many impious Things, reproaches me publickly with having shown but little reverence for Religion in a Tragedy exhibited with the Approbation of the most virtuous Magistrates, read by Cardinal Fleury, and play'd in Some Religious Houses. The Publick will do me the Honour to believe, that I shall not lose my Time in answering the Invectives of the Poet Rousseau.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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