The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-27 00:00:00

L/TkRATURE.

ALISON'S HISTORY OF THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION. Vol.. VIII.
Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1840.
Of all the historians who have discoursed on the
subject of that moral and political phenomenon, the
French Revolution, we consider Mr. Alison the most
thoughtful and sagacious, as he unquestionably is the
most comprehensive. His work, indeed, is on a larger
-and more satisfying scale than any history—with the
single exception, perhaps, of Napier's Peninsular War
—that has appeared in modern times. Gibbon's
Opus Magnum, which ranges over a period of fifteen
hundred years, is necessarily much of it in sketch—
that portion in particular, which refers to the Cru-
sades is singularly meagre ; Robertson's brief, admir-
able summaries, such, fur instance, as his outline, or
bird's eye view of the feudal system, in the open-
ing chapters of Charles the F.fth, are wel!-known ;
. and equally notorious are Hume's hasty and imperfect
notices of the Anglo-Saxon pe-iod of our history, for
which he asserted that he could find no sufficiently
authentic materials, though Sharon Turner Las since
found the substance of volumes. The brief space of
time into which the extraordinary circumstances which
Mr. Alison relates, are crowded, is one main cause of
his advantage over his predecessors. The events of
scarcely twenty-six years constitute the entire subject-
matter of his volumes I Another great advantage he
possesses, is derived from the multitude and authenticity
of the materials at his command. Not a year, dating
from 1789 to 1814, but has its host of annalists, politi-
cal and military, whether in France or England. But
to arrange this immense mass of details ; to weed it of
the strong prejudices of faction ; to decide between
conflicting statements ; to know how far to re-
pose confidence, and when .to exercise a wholesome
distrust;—these things require an acuteness, indus-
try, and cool collectedness of mind not often met
with ; and here Mr. Alison exhibits to great
advantage. It was our lot, not long since, to be en-
grossed upwards of a year with the subject of the French
Revolation, during which period we consulted a vast
nuinber of documents to which our author has also had
recourse ; and as we tracko I him step by step, we
.remernber being much struck with the extent of his re-
search, the impartiality of L s statements, and the
~correctness of his inference!. In one only instance,
and that one of no moment, did we find him in error.
'ln relating the particulars of Howe's great naval victory
of the Ist June,. Mr. Alison incidentally alluded to the
crew of the Vcageur, who, he said, went to the bottom
. crying " Vive La Republique !" Now, it happens that
this was a clap-trap, invented by Barrere, for the pur-
Pose of reconciling the French to their defeat ; and
being du'y inserted in the Moniteur, and the other
',Journals of the day, where our author found it,
Was naturally enough mistaken by him for a fact.
The present Admiral Gryffyths, who was him-
self engaged in the battle, has lately explained
the whole circumstances of the case ; and we
. trust, therefore, that Mr. Alison will correct the
error, in the next edition of his history. In the volume
before us—which, though strictly matter.of•fact, pos-
sesses all the enchaining interest of the most startling
romance—our author relates the chief incidents of Wel-
lington's campaigns in Spain and Portugal ; as also the
..Partieulars of Napoleon's invasion of Russia, and its
disastrous results. His account of this last extraordi-
- usry event is a master-piece of narrative—eloquent,
circumstantial, and remarkable for the distinctness and
vigour of its descriptions. Few things in history are
more stirring and picturesque than the details of the
great battle of Borodino, and the night that suc-
ceeded it, which may be compared—and they will
not lose by the comparison—with Sallust's sketch
of the defeat and death of Catiiine. But
.Mr. Alison is not merely a successful painter of battle
scenes ;.he is equally at home in drawing the charae-
tett; of statesmen. His portrait of Lord Brougham is
the justest we have yet met with, of this eminent man ;
Romilly and Liverpool are hit off with equal discri-
mination and felicity of touch ; but of the characters of
George the Third tied Fourth, we can only say, that
'e should have liked them better, bad they been less
highly coloured. We close this hasty notice by saying
that Mr. Alison's " History of the French Revolution,"
is the one of all others that gives us the clearest and fullest
idea of the rise, progress, and extinction—if indeed it
he yet extinguished—of that unparalleled national, or
rather European, convuls'on.