New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-06-19


Few books printed of late years have given rise 10
so much controversy the first two volumes of Mr..
| Kingakes History of the Invasion of the Crimea.
1t was natural perhaps inevitable that this should
| be So for they dealt with the events of war the
actors in which were still living Long before Mr..
Kingakes history was written, those events had been
afertile topic of discussion Parties had sprung up in
| England in France, and in Russia taking sides on
| many questions which arose from the war, In En-
| gland the conduct of the Crimean campaign had
| broken one government in pieces, and almost COM
PEELED another TO abdcate its just authority and SUD
nit to the dictation of power to the politics and
still more to the military authority of the Kingdom
Every step had been yigilanty watched and criticised
with keenness that often came near to aspenty.
By the losses springing from what denounced as
incompetence on the part Of officers high in rank,
the English people had been angered None OF those
officers was quite destitute of friends. and the social
influence which the Horse Guards and War Office
are able to WELD was exerted for their protection
And after ALL in spite of all that was written and
printed there was great ignorance in respect othe
| real facts of this memorable campaign. Mr. Russells
letters in The Times had given not so much false
view as an imperfect view of the events which no
was commissioned to describe. Shut out from head
| quarters-or at any rate only tolerated where no
might have expected a welcome-he saw much dis
quarters might have prevented He was witness
of many errors which il was natural to mputc to tho
sole controlling authority. What he hedescribed
with such power of language that impressions were
deeply stamped on the minds of people who eagerly
read his letters Moreover the journals were ~ that
time in the habit of printing letters which officers
and soldiers had written TO their friends without an
expectation that they we're to be given 10 the public.
Plainly then, the task upon which Nh hingake
entered was not destined 10 be an easy one. Upon
great variety of questions it is the duty of historian
to form positive opinion, and whichever opinion he
adopted there would be plenty Of people to whom his
conclusion would prove unwelcome. OF his qualH
cations for the task much may be said. 4 bargister
by profession he was accustomed TO weigh evidence.
He had won fame as an author by the publication Of
book of travels snguarly original. picturesque and
marked by quality of style which was new in En-
glsh literature. His love Of travel was mingled with
a great interest in warike affairs and be had u
knowledge of the military arr such as one not bred
to the profession of arms seldom acquires. II was
this interest which tool, him to the Crmea, but it IS
mistake to suppose that at the time Of entering on
that adventure Mr. Kin Slake had an acquaintance
with Lord Raglan. He carried to Lord Raglan let
ter of introduction from the Duke Of Newcastle. then
Secretary of State for War. Remaining at the En-
gsh headquarters he was an eyewitness Of such
As he has been accused of undue partiaty for the
memory of Lord Raglan it only fair to say that he
was undoubtedly well received by him, and enjoyed
considerable share of his confidence aud regard.
After his death as Mr. Kingake relates in the pre-
face to his first volume there grew mp expectation
that the task of relating the history of the down
to that time would fall to his hands. All Lord Rag
lan's papers entrusted to him. 1t IS possible
that Mr. Kingake has felt that in measure the repu
tation of the English commander has also been COM
mitted to his care. All this NAV be granted without
consenting to the charge Of partiality. From the
causes have mentioned above, disposition If 1t
existed, to bend the facts of history that they
should accord with euogium upon Lord Raglan,
would expose him who made the attempt to unusual
peril 1t cannot be SAID that Mr. Kinglakc is so
stituted as TO yield consciously such temptation.
He who possesses the quality Of great patience the
investigation of truth is seldom who would suffer
his Judgment to be led aStray by affection enthusi
assn. To this quality of patience every page in this
history bears witness. 1t is so conspicuous that il
may almost be called new method in military his
tory. II bore fruit in such eXactness of statement.
that though the earlier volumes underwent crit
csm conducted with the rigor of the Inquisiton it.
self and with not less bitterness than /! th3 dispute
had been point Of theology, they have remained
substantially mistaken. In successive editions Mr.
in notes such errors of fact have been successfully
pointed out. The number is surprisingly few. To
the sources of information before opened to thehsto
ran and mentioned in his first preface, many have
since been added. Chief among printed books is the
great work of Gen. TOdlebcn the Defense of Sc
bastopol probably the most important contribution
for half century TO the science of military engineer
ing From individuals from records of the campaign
in the possession of families from conversations with
officers who bore part on either side, and notably
with Gen. TOdleben himself, materials for these vol
umes have been furnished without stint. The third
volume was first promised for Christmas in 1860. 1t
has grown into two, and the light only after
year and a half of revision and enlargement.
We said just now. in referring to EOthen, that Mr..
Kinglake's style was new in English literature. The
charm of that exquisite book reappears in these
graver pages His dction is not modelled after any
familiar standard nor favored with "reminiscences OF
any great writer Perhaps its artistic quality strikes
you as much as any other; and then its patience
Such sentences these cannot he put together in
hurry. The nicely with which the words fall into
their places is like mosaic Yet in the same sentence
there Is force and flow which the most vigorous
contemner of polished phrase may yainly strive TO
match The student of English will find these pages
as suggestive. rs full of lessons in the Of words,
as those of Burke, with moderation which Burke
never imposed upon himself reader who delights to
find himself in the hands of master, will be led to
admire equally the subtle touches of character
drawing the clearness and rpidty Of the narrative,
the tenderness which softens the portrait of such
man as Kornloff, or the vailed contempt with which
ST. Arnaud and Mentschikoff are made to satirize
their own incapacty. The long celebrated account
of the Alma is at last riyaed by the description of
the cannonade of Sebastopol. t.