The daily union., 1852-12-03
panorofl,s american Revolution.

The second volume OF this anxlously expected work.
being the fifth OF the History OF the United States, is re-
viewed in the London journals, though yet wait lts
appearance in this country, which its subject
and It's birthplace For lack of the book ITSELF we gladly
avail ourselves Of the following extracts from nohce
ofitwhch We fad in the London Athenelm;
History OF the American Revolution By GEORGE BAN
cRorT. Vol. IL. Bentley.
A mastery review OF the state of public opinion IN
Europe, and OF the policy and alliances OF the reigning
families so far as these could bear the chances OF
the great struggle about TO open the Atlantic sea
board occupies chapters to four OF this new vol
ume The reformation politically established in north.
Germany by the trlumphs OF the sevenyears war
the holy Roman empire crumbling in dust beneath the
feet OF the Hapsburgh kaiserihe dleante barbarian
power of Russia rising sher and higher in the scale OF
nations Spain falling into second age OF political in
fancy-Holand stripped OF lis once imposing maritime re-
sources-France hurryng by thousand paths (scence
letters, discussion desposm, poverty, philosophy, scep-
ticsm, and progacy in high places BY her virtues
well as by her vices) towards the stormy of revou-
tion ;such the condition OF that Europe which
to behold and to take part in the drama of the American
war.
special chapter is devoted 10 the state and relations
OF France, and this is perhaps the most carefully elab
GRATED portion Of the gvolume. The studies OF Voare
and Rousseau in their way flushed miniatures. From
the sketch OF the former extract passage which
Mr. Bancroft lays stress, showing how little The
coming revolution in America and in France owed TO that
great satirical genius. who, when thunders mutered
along the ground and the earth heaved beneath the
throne of the Bourbons would set down changes OF
ministry and other great political events accidents
and anecdotes
son the side of modern liTe pushing free inquiry
to the utmost contempt OF restraint, though not TO total
unbeef, Voaire employed his peerless wit and activity.
The Purians OF New England changed their hemls-
phere TO escape from bishops and hated preacy with the
rancor OF faction Voltare waged the warfare with
widely different weapons, and writing history as par
tisan made the annals OF his race continuous sarcasm
against The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic church.
His power reached through Europehe spoke TO the free
thinkers throughout the cultivated world. In the age
OF sceptlcsm he was the prince OF scoers; when phi
osophy lowered round saloons, he eXceled rejecting
the brilliantly centous mind OF the intellectual anstoc
Iacy. His great works written in retirement, but
he was himself the spoiled child of society. He summed
himself in it's light, and dazzled by concentrating its
rays He was its idol, and he couried its idolary Far
from breaking with authority, he loved the people as Ut
tie as he loved the Sorbonne. The complasant couer
OF soveelgns and minister's he could even stand and
wait Tor smiles al the toilet of the French Kings mis-
tess. or PROSTATE himself in 1aery before the Semira
mis- OF the North willing TO shut his eyes the
rows OF the masses, if the great would but favor of
letters. He il was and English poet that praised
George l OF England as sage and hero who ruled
the universe by his virtues he could address Louis XIV
asa Tajan and when the French King took prostitute
for his associate, II the aged Voaire who extolled
the monarch's mistress adorable Egerla. The pop
ulace which has its hands live bysuch the words
and such the sentiments of Voltae, and he believed,
OF every landhoder-'he people has neither lime nor
paciiy Tor instructlon they would die OF hunger
before becoming philosophers. II to essential
that there should be ignorant poor Preach virtue TO the
lower classes when the populace NEEDLES with reason
ing all is lost"
On more solid grounds, Mr. Bancroft makes Rousseau
the strange and wayward who, from The of
the world in which he had suffered and from the wrongs
oil the down-,rodden which he had shared, derived
eloquence which wen, 10 the heart of Europe"-lhe
prophet, the literary father OF the revolution.
England-s history constitution, and modes OF thought
..nIun ad dIut alaap
which highly interesting literary efforts, and be
come douby conveying the ideas OF intelligent
American, considered in his own country the ideal OF
patriotic writer. the pc ope with who his nation
abou, TO enter contest of life AMI death Except IN
the of writers who, 10 Cannngs satirical de-
scripon OF certain patriots the friends OF every
country their own, know not where to look for
so highly apprecatiye a picture from enemy" In
the paragraph here following, il will be noticed that Mr..
Bancroft alludes the fact OF an undue share OF power
having fallen al that lime into the hands OF arstoc
racy-ihs being his view, and in the opinion of nearly
all sober minded Americans of day, the real
Of the rupture between the colonies and the mother
country:
"North OF the channel that bounded France, liberty
was enjoyed BY wise and happy people whose domes
climate, knew but little of extremes. The opinions
religion and on government which speculative
the continent OF Europe were rashy developing without
qualification reserve derived from England She
before the philosophers the asylum OF independ
ent thought and upon the nations The home OF revo
luton, where liberty emanaied from dscord and sedion
There Tree opinion had carried analysis boldly 10 every
question of faith $ well as OF science English free.
thinkers had led the way in the reaction OF Protestant
Europe against the blind alteration OF the letter OF the
Bible English dess, tracing Christianity reason, and
teaching that il old creation the fore.
runners OF the German rationasts. English reatses
on The human understanding the OF The
ma,eralisn in France In the atmosphere of Eng land
Nolaire rpened the speculative which ne pub.
llshed English letters; there Montesquieu sketched
government which should make liberty It's end and
from English wiring and example Rousseau derived the
idea OF social compact Every Engllshman dis.
coffee houses petitions sent TO Parliament from
popular assemblies; cities, boroughs, and counties |
framed addresses TO the King; and yet such the
stability OF the institutions OF England amidst the FAC
tous conflicts OF parties, such her loyalty TO law in
her change OF dynases, such her self-contro while
sistng power such the hxeduess OF purpose lying be-
meath the restless enterprise of her intelligence that the
ideas which preparing radical changes in the social
system OF other monarches held their bamlessly
within her borders, winds playing capriciousy round
some ancient structure whose massive buresses tran
gully bear up its roof, and towers, and pinnacle and
spires. The great Catholic Kingdoms sancfied the king
ly power by connecting II with the church and deriving
its ie-de directly from heaven. Prussia was as vel
the only great modern instance OF warke State resting
an army England limited lis monarchy by law Is
constitution was venerable from its antiquity. Some
traced IT TO Magma Charla, some to the Norman con
quest and TO the forests OF Germany where acts OF
legislation debated and assened 10 by the people
and by the mobiles but IL at the revolution OF 1855
that the legislature definitely assumed the sovereignty BY
dsmissng a monarch from the kingdom, as a landlord L