Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1851-10-08
LITERARY NOTICE.

WILLIAM PENN: I'm Historical Biography from ne,u
sources, ,oikh extra chapter on the IS Maeaulay
Charges" BY WILLIAM HEPwoRrH Dixon. For
sale bv Pomercy.
"To speak the whole truth concerning William
Penn is task which requires some courage, for he
is rather mythical than historical person. Rival
nations and hostile sects have AGREED in canonizng
him. England is proud of his name. great COM
monwealth beyond the Atlantic regards him with
reverence similar to that which the Ahenians felt for
Theseus, and the Romans for Quirinus. The re-
spectacle society Of which he was member honours
him as apostle. By pous men of other persuasions
he is generally regarded light pattern of Chris
tian virtue MEANWHILE admirers Of very different
sort have sounded his praises. The French phioso-
piers of the eighteenth century pardoned what they
regarded his superstious fances in consideration
of his contempt for priests, and of his cosmopolitan
benevoence impartiay extended to all races and all
creeds. His name has thus become, throughout all
civilized countries, sy nonyme of probity and phil
anthroPy: Nor is this high reputation altogether un'
merited.''
So says Mr.. Macaulay. To reduce this myth to
man, and prove that worthy of the high charac-
ter which has heretofore adorned the myth. is the
avowed object of Mr.. Dixon's work, book of some
$50 pages, which, while it contains much new and
interesting information respecting the founder of one
of the thirteen States, has the common fault of bio
graphes being spun out to much greater length than
the subject will we'll bear. Biography, than any
other branch of literature, should be written in
light and pleasing Style the interest of the reader
must necessarily flag unless kept alive by the exer-
tons of the author, which, when too apparent, how
ever have the contrary effect Mr.. Dixon has over
looked this fact, and his book may be said to be in
terestng in spite of its tedousness. Throughout the
whole volume we see too plainly his constant exer-
ton to produce an impression on the mind Of the
reader, which becomes atigued in endeavoring to feel
the same degree Of enthusiasm on the subject as is
evidently experienced by the author. Had he calmly
stated his facts, and given his authorities, leaving it
to the dispassionate reader to decide between Mr..
Macaulay and himself instead of railing at what he
calls the cspricious likes and dslikes, novelties and
exaggeraons of the historian, tho character of the
great phanthropist would still have shone out as
free from 5emish as the halo which surrounds the
myth.
One Of the most serious charges brought against
him by what Mr.. Dixon styles " the animus Of the
last Wing history is that respecting his interference
between King James the Second and the Fellows Of
Magdaene College. Let US compare the two writer's,
both of whom give, in their notes, references which
we on this side of the Salt Lake must take in great
measure, on their word.
After detailing at length James the Seconds at
tempt to influence the election Of President of Mag
dalene College in favor first of Antony Farmer and
Of Dr. Parker, against DR.. Hough, the choice of
the Fellows who stubbornly resisted his authority and
refused to recognize any else their President,
Mr.. Macaulay says, Perhaps the college might still
be terrified caressed, bribed into submission The
agency Of Penn was employed. He had too much
good feeling approve of the violent and unjust pro-
ceedings Of the government and expressed part
of what he thought. James was, usual, obstinate
in the wrong. The courtly Quaker therefore did his
best to seduce the College from the path of right He
first tried intimidaton.'' For this not refer
red by Mr.. Macaulay to any authority he goes on to
say, He therefore exhorted the Fellows not to rely
on the goodness OF their cause, but to submit, at
least to temporize. Such counsel came strangely
from who had himself been expelled from the
University for raising riot about the surrce. who
had the risk of being disinherited rather than
take off his hat to the princes OF the blood, and who
had been sent to prison for haranguing in conventi
c!es.'' Such counsel would indeed have sounded
strangely from the lips of William Penn, and we
cannot believe it ever proceeded from them. Mr..
Dixon's account bears the truth strongly impressed
on it, that we should be inclined to consider fail
statement OF tne cdSes even uu ne nos give Us SO d-
ny authorities. He admits that Penn did, at the
quest of the King, attempt to procure an amicable
settlement of the case; but meeting the Fellows
he was convinced that they in the right and
hesitatingly gave his impartial testimony in their IA
vor, writing in their presence letter to the King
which they themselves delivered to him. pretty sure
proof that he had counselled them to submission
In the account of the Maids of Taunton we canno
but think Mr.. Dixon has also much the best side o
the question. During Monmouth's rebellion the in
habtants of Taunton received him with open arms,
set of royal standards had been wrought for him a
the public expense, which were soIelnnly presented
with the Bible and Sword-emblems of royaty-tc
the young adventurer by twenty young girls Of the
place, walking in procession with their schoo-mis
tress al their head. After his defeat, these children
were ordered to be thrown into prison for parcipa
ting in the rebellion. Mr.. Dixon throughout his bool
endeavors to convince that James the Second was
not the cold-bIooded cruel man which the atrocities
committed by Kirk and Jeffres, with his knowledge
and consequently his sanction, naturally lead t.
suppose him to have been. As an instance of hi
tepder.hear,edress,h The wished spare the lives o
these children who were considered to have commit
ted crime whose penalty was DEATH but in order t
punish their parents, they were imprisoned and th'
power of pardoning them ven to the Queens Maid:
Of Honor, who seem to have been at liberty to place
what price they pleased, or rather what they conIe
get. on each pardon. Mr.Macaulay asserts that they
employed William Penn to negotiate with these un
fo,,unate parents, and wiring as much money out o.
them as he could. He cites as his authority lette
addressed bv Lord Sunderland to Mr.. Penne, Thi'
letter Mi. Dixon gives 10 full, and proves. w