Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-11-09

NJ Wv In the Press, and viii be published
i on the LIST December, 1916. TIE Tiyc
TORY OF J'IRGINIA-Comm h., i Ia,
Eurk, and continued by SHELTON Jones and dd'q u
I'll. Girardin. ' L.
Aseries ofuntoward and melancholy circ,,,
stances, has long delayed the publication of thu
above Work, and its delivery to Subscrhsru'e
Soonattcr finishing volumes Of il, Mn Rn,s
was prematurclya fatally cut of in the pr;,no
OF life, aud at moment when his nat,,ran
powerful MUD had derived additional yi~or
nom intense and vast researches. Mr. Skelton
Jones was then induced to undertake the com
pleton OF the task; but he died in the yor,
threshold Of that undertaking. SiNtv-fiye ,,,-aS
only have issued from his brilliant zen: ana
the printing otthepart written By Mr.. Girarl;n
mas oeen retarded by difficulties no less hume.
rons than unexpected.
The portion of the" History of Viryin;a,
winch fell to tue lot of the last named gentle
man, embracing the chief, political. civil ami
MILITARY transactions ofour great Revolutionary
porous, is from the very nature of the subcci'
entitled to nationaattention. There are in ,ba
human constitution principles which do NOS
permit us TO behold, without deep and vivid in
tcrest, the arduousand glorious struggles which
history oiten presents 10 ouryicw. We mean
those struggles III which I'm, IN contende,l Wit,
error, virtue with profiigacy, freedom with ~
ranny. We feel. even at this distant day. far
republican Greece armed against the INVADING
myrads Of Pcrsia--for the United Nethcrland,
resisting the despotism and bgotyy of enthralIe5
and enthralling Spain--for the brave and WIN
Gus SWISS hurting defiance iii the face of of prond
Austria, How powerfully, then must our sym.
pathies be excited both as men and as citizens
wiien we see not ancient. not foreign patriots
but our own beloved and revered forefathors
opposing with successful energy, a systematic
and wanton infringement of their natpral
and their chartered rights creating new
body politic-in short, establishing by their
wisdom, and cementing with their blood that
political Independence aud those civil and reli
giops liberties, which we now so happily enjoy.
ana which If we continue faithful To our hislI
uestinles, no power upon earth, no foreign hos
tiity, no domestic intrigue, shall ever wrsst
from our possession Surely if the mcneil of
history. has at any time delineated scenes cal
cnlated TO attract our attention, and engage oi,r
sensDititles. such scenes are TO be fnniid in fhe
present work. Let us add, that in the prosrcI,-
non 81 TINS iaudabie undertaking, the continue
Tor mas been guided by strict and undertaking
regard for truth, animated by an indefatisaSlc
ardor OF research, and by a generous desire Of
perpetuating TO the utmost of hisindiyidual cx-
ertons, that giorionsspirit, those admirable and
sacred principles, whichdictated the measures,
and accomplished the exploits, recorded i'm hi;
narrative. He has brought TO light mass of
interesting local facts; detected and rectified
errors of miscellaneous tendency; and all along
adapted his style TO the inherent grandeur and
dignity of his subject. The extracts from his
part of the History already before the public.
must, we trust, justify our opinion; and, indeed
we can prduce in favor of the work tcstimoBi-
al OF much higher authority than ours Mr..
JJeherson's extensive historical collection was
Kindly opened TO the cOntinuators researches
That distinguished patriot, whose zeal and abiIi-
ties were so'earlyand so efficiently DISPLAYED in
those very scenes which Mr.. Girar,lin undertook
to retrace, has, with his usual affability conde-
scended TO read the manuscript, & bestowed ON
II his appreciation, in the following words:
Thomas Jefferson returns to Mr. Gilarlin
his ". $. which he has read with great satisfac-
ton. And must express with sincerity. his
peculiar qualification on seeing this portion of
American History, that of his native State, so
ably recorded for postcrity"
otner Gentlemen, eminent in the literary
world, have spoken i'll terms equally favorable
OF those parts ofthe continuation which have been
submitted to heir judgment-but we deem it
will soon be before the public. Let it be
tested by its intrinsic nerifsI