The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-09-04

Indeed. know not that there has been any other
English edition, although the travels have mue"
merit In his statements OF fact the author appears
remarkably obserant Of truth, however Undecided
lac may be in expressing opinions on some po'AS
where his silence influenced, probably ny e"-
cumstsnces. lie long resided in Spain, ana was
for sometime Secretary Of the French embassy a.
its court, and was afterwards French Minister 10 'he
circle of lower Saxony. Ease, grace, ana "sor
mark his style
His sketch Of the care Of the Spanish Academy oi
History collect and preserve the documentary e'f
dence and other proofs necessary to compie'c ms
tory Of Spain, may as an example 10 o'hor "a-
tional and State Institutions IN our own country
which they will do well TO emulate No nation mas
70 great advantages to preserve whatever is requi
site TO its history these United States OF Nor'
America. The earliest settlers, particularly uose
of New England distinguished by their earnest
and even religious regard for learning, and some oil
them were highly respectable for their own attain
mcnts in literature. Schools were one OF the most
constant and important objects of the political soci-
tude and arrangements of the Plymouth and Nlassa-
chuselts colonies, and Of the New Eng land colonies,
with scarcely an exception-Rhode Island noble
State as she is, for some time IN the
rear in this case college (tiarvard) was
early established in Massachusetts, which has re-
oeivsd Liberal if not too exclusive patronage from
the State and from individuals; and which has sent
forth a multitude of able, useful, and learned men,
Other colleges have been subsequently esabl shed
and fostered by the Kindness of private friends and
the aid Of legislative endorsement Besides all this
of little, rocky, sea-girt "great-heart" New Eng
land, the Union contains many colleges created
nv shpd wi
benefactons, and pa,ronized by private interest and
munfcence. Many unpublished manuscripts are in
the libraries of these colleges and in public libraries
| of cities and towns, well as many books which
would throw still greater light than has yet arisen
the history and biography of The United Slates'-
Many also, in the possession of private persons
which would contribute to the end. These, when
| brought before the public, would eucicate some
parts of history and biography as yet obscurey
or erroneou.ly represented The claims OF truth are
ever paramount it has natural links and connexions
which, if some of them are wanting, doubts arise
SUM cuique tribuito Without an abundance OF do
cumentary evidence, historian in such an age as
ours is liable to be misled by partial imperfect M
formation, in writing history or biography, so
many are in peril from the cause to which Tacitus
refers, when claiming for himself, /" with respect TO
certain persons exemption from its operation, Mini
| Ohio Viettius Galba nee benefcio, nee inlaria
| cognito. Ii the predecessors of any historian who
surveys any considerable period of history have not
done much to collect evidence he will be continually
liable to err, his work will be dis6gured by many
| faults of omission or commission. Materials, even
carefully and judiciously collected, may, for time,
remain unproductiv of any important work, but in
due season they assure rich intellectual harvest.
| The unpublished marble which an inferior hand
could not mould to beauty may, under the plastic
art of "wise Phdias' or Praxitces, become an or
nameut TO architecture or statuary. The documen.
tary evidence and written narratives and other his
torcal parts which existed anterior to Livy and
Tacitus were first arranged comprehensive scale
and beautfed by them into elegant and instructive
history. The events of the life of Tnl'y were gene
formed them into his polished and interesting, but
too eulogistc biography Great as FULLY was and is
ever likely to be the page of history he obtained
from Middleton in the 18th century the exaggerated
estimate and paneg,ric narrative which he asked
from of hi, literary contemporaries. Yet this
has facilitated rational appreciation Of his princi
plies and character by literary of the last and
present century
! That corporal power, those exact proportions,
and those expressions of the countenance had pre-
vious existence in nature (never before well de-
| lineated by modern skil) which Michael Angelo
made breathe and speak, and Raphael transferred by
his sublimest efforts TO the canvass. The lawns OF
| England, "thy forests Windsor, and thy green
treats" by mutitudes, and their charms
were felt for centuries before Pope celebrated them
by the music and graphic power Of his verse =
"Homewards the peasant went beneath the setting
If hes inf m AT hear he
admired the blandness and magnifcencc of nature
long the Manuan bard walked his rural Tyre, |
and pictured in gorgeous song the landscapes Of Italy
Old Scoa's "heathy moors and winding wales, her
rils and rivers running swiftly the amid beau
tiful scenery-her crooks wild and majestic her
mountain soli,udes, full of grandeur in their extent
and tranquil stness--hsd often greeted and cheered
both native and stranger Burns and Scott looked
upon them with the eye and described them with
the pencil of the poet
To revert directly 10 history, from which, by ana
logy have perhaps little wandered. IL is one Of
the tasks which several societies have imposed on
themselves, however operose, seemingly hum.
bleto collect the materials which may serve to per-
feet our national history, and have just been en-
deavoring to show the extraordinary facilities we
possess for this purpose and how indh pensabc such
materials a reliable and eminently useful his
tory Of our country In furnishing the extract here
with, show what country much less favorably
situated for eiectng this object with respect 10 ITSELF
and by means the most literary Of European ma
tions, has done through its historical Academy and
is probable amid the disorders which have occurred
since 1859 in all SPAIN il has yet accomplished more.
The extract is taken from PIP. 247-250 Of Mr..
Bourgoanues travels in Spain, vol lst London edi-
ton, 1853.
With great respect