The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-05
REVIEW.


inherent although it must be admitted
that his merits ore not slight-as by thede
fault Of authors of frst-rte abilities. The eventi
of the Revolution have been sufficiently illus
trsted by such writer's as Botta, Ramsay, and
others; and in the field Of American biography
there have been workers sufficient in number
and in talent: but of the entire comprehensive
range of our history, from the first discovery
of the continent to the present time, there has
not been, as yet, any undertaking which can
comp re in pretension, or even in real merit
to that of Mr. Bancroft. The time may come
when the attention of some future generation
having been fixed with that greater degree oil
curiosity upon the past, which the very re.
moteness in time of tho events tends to create
some historian OF America may arise. to whom
Mr.. Bancroft will be what Rapin, or perhaps
less than Rapin, is to Hume. In the mean.
time, he sta..Is sole master of theme already
splendid with incident and philosophy, and
day by day becoming rapidly enriched, on the
scale of national increase, such as the world
has never before witnessed.
Perhaps one of the worst effects OF this par
amount authority OF single writer on his
torical subject, is the false estimate OF indi-
viduals which his wilful Misrepresentation
or even his honest mistakes, will inevitably
transmit to posterity. The great mass OF men
have neither the means nor the inclination to
sift tho truth with regard to those whose ac-
TONS no longer affect them with personal in
t,rest; and the prevailing opinion OF = people
will always bo iu general accordance with the
views and assertions OF tho ruling historian.
The errors OF Mr.. Bancroft, and his frequent
deliberate injustice, have often been combatted
with regard to the lives and services of emf
nen. men in our past history; an1 in no in
stance with which we are acquainted, with
moro careful research and greater success than
in the book before US. Especially is this true
with regard to his military reputation, which
is the point particularly at issue IN the discus
sion. We cannot but think that MIR. Amory
has erred in announcing himself, with oil the
pomp OF sounding preface, and with frequent
iteration through all his pages, as the dcfcn-
der of General Sullivan. The object OF wrl-
ter of biography is always hindcred BY the
declaration of a partisan purpose; for mon
know that love influences the reason as much
Us hatred, aud receive, with just as many
grains of allowance, that which is ostcnsibly
written 10 exalt character, as that which is
ostensibly written to traduce him. Mr.. Ban
croft also enjoys an advantage In this, that he
undoubtedly did not write his history in ord er
to dclract from the fame of General Sullivan,
while Mr. Amory, from his own continually OBJ
truded declaration, did compose his book in
order to defend his reputation. This consde-
ration, however, refers merely to the effect
upon tho prejudices-which no writer is wise
to disregard-and it has nothing to do with
the facts and proofs, as stated, which alone,
the mind Of ono anxious TO discover tho truth
would regard, and by which alone be influenced.
We merely mean to say that the same indonti-
col facts and inferences, when trrayed upon
the pages Of n volume, would produce Ger
tain sffsct upon the minds Of readers in gen.
cral with o creator certainty, when unattended
by the positive declaration that it was intend
ed 10 be produced.
In the performance OF Mr.. Amory we reco2-
nizo many merits, and but one conspicuous
fault. IT is in places uaduy prolix. Untortu
nately, too this proli1ity especially abounds
in the pauegyrical portions of the book--thos Q
very portions in which proper regard for his
object should have prompted Nr. Amory to be
concise. Tho mind, under the most favorable
circumstances, receives with certain caution
and suspicion the praises OF another, and it
dangerously magnifes the difficulties OF con
victiou to weary the reader with their too frc-
quont repetition, or too long continuance. We
dc not desire, however, to appear hypercriti-
cal, and hasten to say that the style Of compo-
sition is grace. and vigorous, and the nara
tive interesting, with clear and succinct
statement of facts. The research, which the
performance indicates. is highly colnmendable,
and, US It's fruit, presents to the reader both
full account of the life and actions OF General
Sullivan, if not Boswellian in it's minutcness,
yet sufficiently Boswelan to make up first
class biography, aud a!soa faithful and exceed
ingly instructive picture OF tho timos IN WAC Ii
General Sullivan lived. Daci1:dii thc most
instructive and entertaining portion OF the
book is the narrative from the Il &c when Sulli-
van retired from the army, after the IudIan
campaign in 1893, to tho date OF hts death.
With full COLLECTION Of contemporaries
GUS documents, judiciously selected, and
with just aud sensible comment. conf
plete picture OF those troubled times subse-
quelt to the revolution, when overy th'ng WAS
now and nothing doter mined, Is brought to our
view. This account is more complete and
graphic from the fac. that General Sullivan,
after his retirement from tho army, was con-
tinualy an active participant III tho civil af-
lalrs of the country; and the incidents OF this
portion of his career let US into the secret, not
sufficiently appreciated now on account OF re.
mcteness in tinc, OF tue almost overwhelming
d dtficulties our ancestors encountered in estab-
llsl in, their present, and providing for the fu-
ture, when tho victory had been won by arms;
the cares and an4ie'es they Suffered, the la
bors they performed, the wisdom, cournye and
maSuanlmity tLcy displayed.
Tic lights oil past history are necessary to o
full comprehension OF Tie present; and sucsi d
narrative as THIS is cf the utmost value il Vur
times, by sIowi, 6 troubles buudrIu fold
rre;., or than those wnic!l IiY3 followed upon
the rcccut natona c.niuisun, all rverc 'lno ny
WISH IN anil oy Temperance. to teach Us our
living duty, to coiiifofs Ms With IL groa;er sut's-
iac,.un nUw, aid 10 cheer Us Tith u LCre cou1-
dent hope for the future.
rrup upr,r r,r Srur n M,cuI,,ys Mr A