Excerpt from Historical and Biographical Essays, Vol. 1 of 2 Of the Historical Essays contained in these volumes, the first and the second have not before been printed; and the third, published two years ago in the Edinburgh Review, appears with some important additions rendering it so far a new illustration of the period to which it relates, that I have ventured to think I might here reproduce it with Essays having more exclusively the pretension and purpose of making original contribution to history. Of the Biographical Essays, two have been published in the Edinburgh Review, and two in the Quarterly Review; but all, as they are now printed, have received large additions and careful revision. Not for this should I have presumed, however, to give them a form less dependant and more accessible than that of the distinguished periodicals in which they appeared originally. A more numerous issue of volumes from the press is not among the wants of the time. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Historical and Biographical Essays, Vol. 1 of 2 The many additions in the present publication are meant to give to that design greater scope and fullness. They are most considerable in the memoirs of steele and foote and in the latter more especially an attempt by means of them has been made to render more complete the picture of a series of comic writings, which are not more remarkable for character and wit than for their vivid and humorous presentment of English vices and foibles in the later half of the eighteenth century, but which accidental causes may probably for ever shut out from the place they might have claimed to occupy in the literature of England. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Biographical and Critical Essays, Vol. 1 of 2: Reprinted From Reviews, With Additions and Corrections The reason, obvious enough, is given in a sentence from Dunlop's 'history of Fiction, ' quoted by Scott Those minute references immediately lead us to give credit to the whole narrative, since we think they would hardly have been mentioned unless they were true.' Ars est celare artem. The effect would fail if they had a showy character, as if invented for effect. Homer's employment of such details simply proves that he was a master of his art, and it is one of his highest triumphs to have produced on the distinguished statesman and scholar an effect analogous to that which Swift produced on the rude sailor, who declared that he knew Captain Gulliver very well, but that he lived at Queenhithe, not at Wapping. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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Excerpt from Essays, Historical and Literary, Vol. 1 of 2: Scenes and Characters in American History The material in this volume was intended, by the Author, to be embodied in a greater work, A History of the American People. Many of these chapters were given by him as lectures in every part of our broad country, always enlarging and strengthening the bond of friendship with his 'people - who freely gave him such personal opinions, letters, and private documents as aided him in perfecting his historical work. Some of these letters, of especial significance, I have here included as notes. Through the courtesy of D. Appleton Company, I am enabled to reproduce in the essays Charles Lee, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, and Daniel Webster - biographical passages written by the Author for the Encyclopaedia of American Biography. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Out of the Past, Vol. 1 of 2: Some Biographical Essays "The eagle," said one of the wisest of men, "does not nestle securely in the very bosom of Jove, the day on which he has quarrelled with a beetle." How much more serious, however, is the predicament of the royal bird, if he has offended, not a humble insect, but an animal of a far higher order. This was the misfortune which befell Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield. Justly or unjustly, for we know but one side of the story, he roused against him the anger of the "literary whale" of his generation, and his memory suffers from it unto this day, in spite of the partial reparation which was made by his assailant. It is not my intention in the following paper to attempt to do anything towards rehabilitating Chesterfield, who had unquestionably his fair share of faults. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.