The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-11-20

ALIsoN's HISTORY.


We have heretofore noticed this work as the elab-
crate effort Of Englshman, in defence Of the En-
glish arstocracy. We regard him as n thorough En-
glishman who can nothing commeRdable in any
institutions but those OF his country, who cons.
ders that country as invariably rightn every quarrel
and who cordially hates Democracy, and feels inn
PEELED by duty TO denounce it 10 the odium and oppo
sition Of all mankind Entertaining this opinion Of
him, which inspired by the very first number Of
his history, published by the Harpers, we were
prepared 10 receive his statements with allow
ance We remembered SCOTS history Of Napoleon
and therefore we're prepared for statements rather
more consistent with the preudices OF the English to-
ries than with historical truth And we had read
British official accounts OF battles between Americans
and Englishmen in our last war aud parliamentary
debates about negotiations between Britain and this
country and therefore we prepared for misre
presentations about own affairs. And we we're
not disappointed Ills work. so lar as this country
is concerned, better deserves the name Of romance
than history We have already published Mr. Coop
er's notice Of his misrepresentation concerning Cap
tain cambridge and his quotation Of Cooper's Naval
History as authority FOR such Misrepresentation.
A newspaper distinguished for strong English pre-
elections prOnounces this history the noblest work
Of the age. II SAYS that this work is the result Of
twenty years OF persevering labor requiring the
ful and discriminating perisal Of nearly fteen hun
dred volumes ia various languages, the main and
collateral subjects Of the history and therefore that
IL IL enduring monument Of patient and intelligent
industry soy> tnal the luntss, accuracy, and gen
era importantly Of the work, are universally admit
ted that while the author was under a strong polit-
cal and national bias against one party the great
struggle which he describes, yet by weighing all cir
cumSances and guarding against the very udices
TO which he was conscious Of being liable he has
trved 10 write " the most honest hstoryn Of that
memorable period As proof Of his desire to render
justice this paper says that he quotes two Republ-
can writers for one royast, and two French for
ole English IL admits that an exception TO
this imparliaty IS found in the chapter upon our
country but il excuses this by Swing that this
part Of his work was but an episode and that
the author had devoted to that study which he
had given to the principal subject Of his work II ne
had devoted TO this episode as much attention as TO
the rest Of his narrative, his apoogist believes that
he would not have been thus liable to censure and
II adds, as some aionement for this fault, that the
Harpers in their edition Of the work h we added 10
the American chapter some notes and a copious in.
dex
This, we suppose, will pass current with some as
enlightened and candid criticism and through such
praises and excuses do the apologsts Of Alison at
tempt procure for his work the reputation of being
the most accurate and honest history produced in mo-
dern times Let US analyze this. lie undertakes 60
write history OF the most memorable period on re-
cord. It's very conception Of such an ternrise
proves that he perceived the magnitude Of his task
and knew that Il required the most patient and evten
sive examinations and under this belief he carefully
reads fifteen hundred volumes in different lang,,,ges
and spends twenty years in preparing his work IA.
hitting all this, aud we admit il FULLY We saw tb.,
such author cannot plead ignorance In excnse for
any naccuraoy or Misrepresentation. All the facts
are before him, whether they are universally admit
tss OF are foSeots Of dispute BY dersp, writers; for