The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-05-20

Idmiration from eminent critics in various t.
departments, including men of no less dis Fl
imilar pursuits and tastes than Hum boldt u
md llallam. Mr.. Prescott is an indefatiga- t
Die student. Laboring under the disadvan- h
age of partial loss of sight, while engaged t
n the composition of his elaborate histories Q
he has shown an iron perseverance rarely i
equalled in the records of literary labor, and c
an almost incredible extent of research, re- {
minding as of the astonishing diligence of
GibbOn or Niebuhr. He is not profound Il
thinker; he seldom descends below the sur &
face; he has no love for the investigation of
first principles. Destitute of all tendency to
theory or to general views, he is never lost
in the region of speculative ideas. His
mind is singularly free from the transcen-
dental element Nor is his imagination
either plastic or suggestive. His sympatheis
are languied, and not cold, but lukewarm.
He is never fred into generous enthusiasm
in tho contemplation Of noble act. He
looks at the whole field of history with
certain scholastic and gentlemanly indifer-
ence, without permitting the serenity of his
good breeding to be disturbed by any thrill
of passion. Hence, he is after all mere
collector of facts-a polished and charming
story-teller-a graceful Snowman of the
scenes of grand historic achievements
lively and courteous cicerone whose knowl-
edge of details is rivalled oply by the smooth
facility of his descriptions. His style Isl
doubtless admirable, in its kind-fnished
with dainty elaboration-clear and limpid
as the gentlest rivulet which winds graceful
ly through quiet New England valley
redolent of the choicest literary culture, and
betraying an almost affected air of good socie-
| ty. But without any intellectual muscular
ty, temperate to tameness, uniformly ele-
CANT aid as uniformly timid-free from any
thing that could violently impinge on the
most fastidious tastes, and equally free from
ANYTHING that can touch the higher senti-
ments of our nature and convert the field of
history into sublime arena where great
thoughts and divine principles struggle for
the mastery-its o'erhOneyed sweets, pro-
ducing profound impression of monotony,
and gasping feeling of sufocation, like
that of breathing the air of close green
house, in its almost profuse luxuriance of
winter blossoms. We long for one free ma
tive blast from the rocky hills in the midst
of such costly artificial beauty. Mr.. Prescott
has taken the public, especially the British
public. by surprise. The latter was by nc
means prepared for the event of such wri-
, ter from the Baotain, commercial, well-to-
do New World; and his sudden appearance
in the midst of the most refined circles was
/ nearly as astounding as would be the dis
covery of medieval Gothic temple in The
lboo11xroOdS Of
Jared Sparks can claim no higher meri
than that of diligent and careful compiler
lie is familiar with the sources of American
j. history. Devoted for many years almost t.
G the exclusive study of the subject-possess
S ing plain, tough, sturdy common sense, anC
n without the slightes particle of imagination
IS Inc has written several historical biogra
d phics, as those of Washington, Franklin
d and Gouverneur Morris, which are of som
If value as works of reference, but as model
10 of historical composition are entirely beneat
II criticism Their style is heavy, numbering
r awkward, and has not even the negativ
IF merit of simplicity. Often attempting a
" ambitious fight, he makes dire havoc of a
l. the rhetorical figures. producing admiratio
- for his intrepidity at the expense Of our cor
ct fdence in his taste. In his selections frol
rs the papers of Washington, he has been gui
ID ty of what we can call by no milder nam
of than a fragrant literary misdemeanour. W
Sc allude to the frequent substitution of h
&C. own language for that of Washington, undo
I'D the pretence of preparing the writings of I'll
e. latter for the public eye. By this process
NJ the most familiar letters of Washington
of DOH
be are made to assumes grave and stately bea
Is. ing, and eliminated of all the touches of n
lc- ture, which, to reader of the present da
be are of more interest than the whole of Il
oh sententious wisdom which has been preser
i'd ed with such scrupulous precision. We pr
ID test against such tampering with the pr
in auctions of the illustrious American. N
oh do we always wish to see the father of
is country in full dress. No doubt Washin
Of ton had the heart of man beneath the era
pus ity of statesman, and suppression of t
oil little escapades of humour or petulenC
he which sometimes occur in his letters, is
MIA wretched tribute to his memory.
ms, A work of considerable learning and
cir search has been written by Samuel Eliot, {
re- titled "The History of Roman Liberty"
at AS specimen Of historical investigation,
ub difficult and complicated subject, it is big
ua- ly creditable to the diligence and accuracy
= the author. His style is formed on CLASH
J of models, but it lacks the ease and freedom
,sts the practised writer. Nor does the work
18th hibit any remarkable traces of either p
i'll found or original thought. Mr.. Eliot
mic evidently man of high cultivation, but {
llel lay no claim to genius. He is only S
md when he follows his masters. Whenever
site attempts to speculate on his own account
igi- signal failure is the consequence. His be
nat is at once an illustration of the elegant {
dis ture which is given at Harvard College,
an pride of Boston, and of the timid, cony
leir tional superficiality of thought, which I
and tinguishes SO large portion of the schol
ohi- of that literary metropolis.
son Richard Hildreth is mere recent his
Or rian. He has written the sHistory of
out United States down to the Administrat
q IS of Thomas Jefferson" and is now enga
3 OF in its completion to later period.
lty, work deserves more attention than it has
had ceiyed. It is keen, ice-cold, anatom
he analysis Of American history, written vii
dies bloodless freedom from passion, dissect
hls the motives and measures which have B
hls usually surrounded with brilliant halo
ears admiration, and persistently escheWing eV
acs lann6al ~ annFi a1al1f lamentations or e