North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-10-04
LITERARY NOTICE.

| charges. 6y w LILLIAN HEPwoRrH DIXON. FOR
sale bV Pomeroy. 81
ITO 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 canonizing
him. England is proud of his name. A great COM
monwealth beyond the Atlantic regards him. with
reverence similar that which the Athenians tel. for
Theseus, and the Romans for Qurinus. The
spectacle society of which he member honours
him as apostle. By pious men of other persuasons
he is generally regarded light pattern of Chris
tian virtue. Meanwhile admirers of very different
sort have sounded his praises. The French phoso-
piers of the eighteenth century pardoned what they
regarded as his superstous 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
anthropy. Nor is this high reputation altogether
merited.' -
So says Mr.. Macaulay. To reduce this myth to a
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
of the thirteen States, has the fault of bio
graphes being spun out to much greater length than
the subject will well bear. Biography, than any
other branch of literature, should be written in
light and pleasing styles the interest of the reader
must necessarily flag unless kept alive by the
tons of the author, which, when too apparent, how
ever, have the contrary effect. Mr.. Dixon has
looked this fact, and his book may be said be in
teresting in spite of its tedousness. Throughout the
whole volume we see too plainly his constant
ton to produce an impression the mind Of the
reader, which becomes fatgued in endeavorng feel
the same degree of enthusiasm the subject as is
evidently experienced by the author. Had he calmly
stated his facts, and given his authorities leaving
fha L. AZ
Macauay and himself instead of railing at what he
calls " the caprcious likes and diskes novelties and
exaggerations of the Historian, the character of
great philanthropist would still have shone out as
free from 5lemish as the halo which surrounds the
myth.
One Of the most serious charges brought against
him by what Mr.. Dixon styles IS the anmus of the
last Wing history. that respecting his interference
between King James the Second and the Fellows of
Magdalene College. Let compare the two writer's,
both of whom give, in their notes, references which
this side of the Salt Lake must take in great
measure, 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
next of DR.. Parker, against Dr. Hough the choice of
the Fellows, who subborny resisted his authority and
refused to recognize any else their President
MI. Macaulay says, &" Perhaps the college might still
be terrified, caressed, brbed into submission. The
agency of Penn was employed. He had too much
good feeling to approve of the violent and unjust pro-
ceedings of the government, and expressed part
Of what he thought. James was, as 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 we are not refer
red by Mr. Macaulay to any authority ; he goes to
say. He therefore exhored the Fellows not to rely
on the goodness OF their cause, but submit or at
least to temporze. Such counsel came strangely
from one who had himself been expelled from the
niversty for raising riot about the surplice, who
mad the risk of being disinherited rather than
AXE off his hat to the princes Of the blood, and who
rad been sent to prison for harangung in conventi-
:les.' Such counsel would indeed have sounded
strangely from the lips of William Penn, and we
cannot believe it proceeded from them. Mr..
Oixons account bears the truth strongly impressed
IN it, that should be inclined to consider it fair
atement of the case, even did he not give ma
~ authorities. He admits that Penn did, at the re-
quest of the King, attempt to procure amicabIe
ettlement of the case but on meeting the Fellows
lie convinced that they in the right, ind
esitangly gave his impartial testimony in their ia
or, writing in their presence letter to the King,
which they themselves delivered to him, pretty sure
roof that he had not counseed them to submission.
In the account of the Maids of Taunton we cannot
ut think Mr.. Dixon has also much the best side of
he question. During Monmouth's rebellion the in.
abitapls of Taunton received him with open arms, a
ct of royal standards had been wrought for him at
he public expense, which solemnIy presented
With the Bible and Sword-emblems of royaty-to
he young adventurer by twenty young girls of the
lace, walking in procession with their school-mis-
TESS al their head. After his defeat, these children
7ere ordered TO be thrown into prison for participa-
ng in the rebellion. Mr. Dixon throughout his book
ndeavors to convince that James the Second was
OF the cold-blooded cruel which the atrocities
ommitted by Kirk and Jeffries, with his knowle
nd consequently his sanction, naturally lead US TO
oppose him to have been. AS an instance of his
,.he wished spare the lives of
lese children who considered to have commit
ID crime whose penalty death but in order to
nnish their parents, they were imprisoned and the
over OF pardoning them given to the Queens Maids
Honor, who seem to have been at liberty to place
hat price they pleased, rather what they could
et on each pardon. Mr.Macaulay asserts that they
nPioyed William Penn to negotiate with these I'M
runate parents, and wiring much money out of | 4
lem as he could. He cites as his authority letter i
idressed by Lord Sunderland to Mr.. Penne. This =
tier Mr. Dixon gives in full, and proves we :
ink, beyond doubt that it not intended for Will
am Penn, who never spelt his name with the final e.
1t for certain George Penne, known to have been