The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-14

INTERESTING hELic--Leier or John Randolph,
Of Roanoke. readers will all Join us in tender
ing thanks to the friend who has enabled ur 10
present them with letter off ohm Randolph, never
before published. We cannot introduce il better
than by giving the words Of the friend 10 whom
we are indebted for the privilege, whose name,
We regret, We are not at liberty to mention
w. B. CARLusLE- Sir The enclosed IS a copy
Of letter | received from John Randolph, Of
Roanoke, some twenty-five years ago, when
was boy, and a stranger to Mr.. Randolph This
is valuable relic, both for its intrinsic value and
as showing the spirit of the man who would
write such letter to an unknown boy. think
your readers will not regard it as deiracting from
the interests of the Ttiegraph-I assure you that il
has never been in print:
Roanoke, July %, Is2s-Sir Your letter Of the
18th was received by the last mail II finds me
in u state almost too feeble TO comply with your
request, but as nolhing interests me so much as a
young man inspired with generous emulation,
and eager to improve himself, shall endenvcr TO
do what you ask, although fear it will be but an
| imperfect sketch.
And first, let me premise that in all insanc es
where II is practicable, you should study history
| in the original authors, instead of compilations
! from them. Thus, Gilies and Mitford's histories
| of Greece may be read, if you will, but not until
you shall have read the authors from whom they
have derived their Information and in the original
language where you are master oft But should
that not be the case, in the last translation Of
them, subjoin the names Of such translaors :
Herodotus (the father Of history, and non known
TO have been az aithful an he is eloquent Trans
Beloe) Thucyddes-(Smit and Hobbies Memo
phon, who takes up the history of Grecian affairs
where Thucydides leaves Off and continues il to
the death Of Epnmimondss (S"ith. is also the best
translation Of this history, and of Lonenus. on
the sublime) Xenophon's .9nabasis (by Speman, J
is most interesting work. Arran's EXHIBITION
| OF Alexander, Rookie translator; PIutarch's Lives,
| (Langhorne,) Livy (Baker) Roman history; Po-
lybius, tf1nmpton;) Cicero--his letters gave me
more insight into the springs that moved the fac
tons at Rome, than all the other books put to-
gether that ever met with Mitford's is the best,
MISUNDERSTANDING ia not bad Cassr, Dun
can; Sallust, Gordon, Stnnri, Murphy,) Tacitus,
murphy, Gordon also;) Suetonius, Ploy's let
ters, (Memoth.)
The best compilation Of Roman history that
know, is one by Goldsmith, in octave volumes
1t is but school book, but an admirable one
Hoke Is very heavy and dull--Ferguson Re
public ia good
could have swelled the above lis, with num-
Der of inferior authors, such as Quintus Curiius,
Aureus Victor, the Auguston histories &c. &c,
but take il for granted that to know a few good
authors well, is preferable to running over great
many.
Gibbon ia the best connecting link between an
Gent and modern history. To us the history Of
England Is OF more importance than any other
for II is up to ZIG, the history Of our own coun-
try, ancestors, laws and institutions But could
we reconcile ourselves 10 a shameful ignorance Of
the history of other nations, we wonld not thor
oughly understand that Of England, herself
Rapiu's History Of England. Hume is de-
gblful writer but not the slightest dependence
can be put upon his fidelity. Lord Clarendon's
history Of the rebellion, making allowances for
his lordshins prejudices and psrtlality; Ludlow's
memoirs; Life OF Oliver Cromwell, by Oliver
Cromwell, one OF the family, a late work, and Of
inesmable value, for it consists Of evidence al
most entirely. The writer does not play the adj
vocate
The history Of modern Europe previous to the
pacfcation ofMunster, has become, by the course
Of events, OF less importance in our day, than in
the time Of Lord Bolingbroke, whose letters on
the study of history you will of courst read
Bucharun's Robertson s and Laing's, Of Scotland.
Henrys history of England and Sharon Tur-
ner's of the Anglo Saxons, are highly spoken Of;
never read either. or foreign historians, Froiss-
art standa foremost. Mr.. Johne's TRANSLATION js
more full. but rot spirited Lord Berner's.
Philip de Comues. Dasiln y civil wars Of France,
(Farnworth,l Guicciardins history Of his own
times, Robertson's Charles ", and Watson y
Philip 2 and 3, may be ranked in this class for
egn.
History more Immediately modern, IL best
eieoheu from tne Parliamentary neontes, annual
registers, renembrsncer., and, above all. the cor
respondence Of the great men who have been act
ors or close observers Of the scene. ] know no
good American history but Ramsay. If you
wish to make yourself muster Of the history Of
our country, from the separation, you must read
diligently the journals and State papers of the old
Congress.
The French revolution creates vast and al
most impossible gulf, and hereafter men will
reckon events as they happened before or after
that catastrophe.
Chronology and geography are the two eyes
Of history" In regard to the first mine has been
publ'pd. abored most painfully through Pri-
deaux's connection, trying 10 reconcile what IL
irreconciIabIe, the Jewish and Heather chronicle
gy. Amer being long bewildered, | remembered
Lord Dolingbroke's dccarston, that he had rather
take the Darius, whom Alexander conquered for
the aon Of Hysssprs and make rs many anchon-
isrns as Jewish chronoIoger, than sacrifice h1If
his ne TO collect the learned lumber that fs the
head OF an antquary."
have been more successful in chronology bv
endeavor'ng 10 Impress upon my memory the
great men who were contemporary. --Priestley =
tables are useful in this regard B!ar's chronoi.