Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

not to our purpose to offer any proof of this great truth, inasmuch as setting aside all the arguments with which modern reasoners have supported it, it is established to demonstration by the evidence of every-day occurrences. When an American says "that's a fact," who believes him? What "fact" is ever stated in an opposition journal that is not immediately contradicted by a ministerial newspaper in the largest type and "on the highest authority?" Who ever gives credit to the " simple facts" of an Exeter Hall orator against Popery, an Irish member when advocating repeal, or a Conservative landlord when declaiming against the enormities of the manufacturers? It is hardly too much to say, that every action of our life in some degree evinces a disbelief of facts: it therefore clearly requires no argument to demonstrate a truth which our whole conduct acknowledges and avows. Why then laugh at Mr. Canning? Why consider his great apophthegm as an idle witticism, introduced more to enliven the dulness of a debate, than to dispel the darkness of ages by one bright ray of everlasting and unconquerable truth?

Facts then, are fallacies fallacies may be removed: therefore facts, notwithstanding their proverbial stubbornness, may be got rid of. Our improving generation need not confine its light-giving operations to the period of its own existence, but may sport with the persons and events of antiquity, and not content with remodelling the institutions of the present, may inform with new life and vigour the faded glories of the past. A noble work is before us let us set ourselves to it manfully, that we may accomplish it fully. True it is, we cannot yet

Instruct the planets in what orbs to run,
Correct old Time, and regulate the Sun;

though, in a few years, if the progress of science continue at its present railroad velocity, we may hope to throw new light upon the system of Copernicus, and place the tides, comets, and eclipses upon a regular and more satisfactory footing-true the circle is not yet squared, and we fear that our common people are far from having the procession of the equinoxes at their finger's ends-all this and more is true: but to say this, is only to allow that of the work of universal reform some part must be left for posterity to complete: we have made our conquest, superior in value to all hitherto achieved; inferior, we fondly hope, to none that can be made hereafter. The enormous fallacy of fact lies at our feet, no longer able to impose on any but those old bigots who are as moles in the midst of our newly-discovered light. Future generations may excel us in the extent of their discoveries and the splendour of their acquirements; it will be enough for us to be gratefully remembered as having put an everlasting extinguisher upon the credibility of FACTS.

In applying this great doctrine, the Germans have as usual been before us. Wolf and Heyne struck at the root of old associations and superstitions: and they struck successfully. We speak it advisedly, they have not left Homer a leg to stand upon. We think we may call these men the leaders of our movement as regards poetry, as we shall presently place Niebuhr at its head in the historical department. True, these Germans had forerunners and prototypes; Dion Chrysostom for instance, at the close of the first century, who proved that Troy never was taken, and more wonderful still, that Helen was in the first instance married to Paris by the consent of her father: and in history, Mitford, who, if we may believe Bishop

Thirlwall, wrote his account of the times and actions of Demosthenes with a noble disregard for "facts." But Dion and Mitford seem to have acted blindly, and without the knowledge of the principle which ought to have guided them: the Germans on the other hand really saw through the mists of credulity. Niebuhr seized his pen, and wielded it with such vigour, that with two or three octavo volumes he annihilated all the Roman history that came within his reach. He died ere the completion of his work; luckily, we think, for his fame Notwithstanding his great sagacity, he wanted the uncompromising boldness of a writer of reformed history. He failed but in one point, it is true; but that was a most important one, and he has inoculated with his own timidity those who have caught his zeal against facts, and carried his arms into regions he never hoped to see so attacked: If we are to name his fault, we say at once that it was this; he never contented himself with denying a fact, but also took the trouble to disprove it. This must have made him but a poor reformer, had he ever lived to be forced to attack substantial history, instead of those musty and ricketty legends of ancient Rome, which fell as soon as he approached them, rather tumbling to pieces before him than' overcome by any vigorous and daring assault. Would Niebuhr, we ask, have ventured in his history of Romé upon what we intend to do in our history of England? Would he have disregarded all records, and contradicted all chronology? Would, he for instance, have made Hannibal an Emperor, denied the existence of Cicero, and swept the consuls every man jack of them from the annals of their country? Alas, we fear not: we should have had a compromising conservative reform: he would have acquiesced, and conciliated, and yielded, here a point, there

a point, till his grand principle was frittered away and forgotten.

Grand indeed is the principle we have to enunciate ; no other than that "facts are not to be believed." It is clearly high treason to the majesty of that principle, to attempt to invalidate a fact by any other means. We cannot doubt the omnipotency of our weapons, let us not then do as Neibuhr did, fear to use them, and them alone. Why, when we can knock our antagonist head over heels, should we waste time in tripping him up? Why need we content ourselves with cutting off supplies and assaulting outposts, when by one blow we can annihilate our adversary's army? Let us look facts in the face, and let it suffice us that they are facts.

Omnes uno ordine habemus Achivos,
Idque audire sat est.

If the Germans, because they had not tried their arms, put too little confidence in them, let us take warning by their example; leaving to the slow drudges who will by and bye follow in our steps the despicable employment of undermining evidence and misrepresenting quotation, let us trust solely in the invincible might of our principle, and advance quietly and confidently in the assurance of present victory and future glory, against that particular mass of fact which we have undertaken to reform-the history of our native country.

Great indeed must be the pleasure felt by the man who can convince himself and others of the utter falsehood of every inconvenient fact mentioned in history! who can slur over conscientiously every little peccadillo of a favorite hero, and forget the mistakes and crimes of those he may wish to admire! Fancy the happiness and satis

faction of forming anew the annals of a nation to suit the taste and improvement of this enlightened age! of depriving all early lays and mythi of their assumed authority, and expelling them from their prominent place in the work of the historian, perhaps into some uncut and unnoticed appendix, tolerated even there only as specimens of early poetry and romance! This happiness and satisfaction it is, that we are desirous of obtaining for ourselves; and as in duty bound, we shall from time to time communicate the results of our pleasing labours to the readers of the Eton Bureau. The old chest mentioned in the first paper, has, among other treasures, furnished us with many valuable documents on the history of England: documents the more highly appreciated by us, and the more likely to aid our work, from the circumstance that they do not contain one single fact. How we long to be at it! But we must first show how necessary our reform is, and on what principles it will be conducted.

First, then, if ever the history of a nation wanted reforming, it is that of England. From William the Conqueror to his namesake the Dutchman, it presents one uniform scene of strife, bloodshed, tyranny, or rebellion. Murders, prisonings, and executions, crowd its pages; plots, usurpations, and civil wars are among its most common occurrences. Think what horrible associations are called up, merely by the name of

Those towers of Julius, London's lasting shame,
With many a foul and midnight murder fed!

But what castle in the kingdom has not its own peculiar legend of abominations? its dungeon to shew, in which somebody or other has been confined and tortured, stabbed, starved, (we like alliteration) or strangled?

Of

« ПредишнаНапред »