AMERICAN HISTORY.*

We have the testimony of Lord Bacon, that "Histories make men wise." When we are able to judge between true and false history, this declaration of the great philosopher needs no qualification. Many books, purporting to be history, are mere lifeless masses of dates and events which seem especially calculated to stupify. Histories, free from errors of narration, from the bias of party feeling, from the prejudice of sectarianism, from the blindness of national vanity, are rare. Those which give us any real idea of the living spirit of past ages-of the social life of the people, of the nature of the government, of national as well as individual habits of thought, of the moral culture of the governors and the governed, of the causes that lead either to the growth or decay of empires,-in fine, of all those things which go to make up individual, social, national existence, are rarer still. Historians thus far have devoted their greatest energy to descriptions of the stirring events of revolutions, and to narrations of national conflicts. We have many histories of nations at war, but few of nations in times of peace. Few historians, in narrating human events, have taken any pains to show us the progress of the human mind. If we except the attempts of Guizot, there scarcely exists such a thing as philosophy of history. If the "wisest of mankind had said that histories are written to make fools of men, he would have spoken almost as truly.

This work of Mr. Goodrich has been some time promised. It is a neatly printed, elegantly bound volume of about nine hundred pages. In these days of cheap publications, we are glad to see a book, the external appearance of which entitles it to civil treatment, at least till we have examined the contents. It is a history of the Western Continent, from its discovery to the present time. The more than three hundred engravings" with which it is "illustrated," may be interesting to some. In spite of the conviction at almost every page, that it is little more than a compilation, we have read it with much interest. Those who have not time to read Bancroft's, Prescott's, and the histories of many others who have separately written of different portions of America during particular periods of time, will find it in many respects valuable. The size of the book, when we take into account the variety and extent of subjects treated, can by no means be a serious objection. It will be to many a new source of historical information; yet, when we consider its great want of originality, we cannot regard it as a very great addition to our historical literature. We have many thanks for the author's industry, though we have no very high respect for his ability as a historian. The book is well arranged for reference; its general accuracy may be relied upon; still, the writer is but little animated with the grandest of all historical subjects.

The style is very simple. It is neither terse nor flowing. It is nowhere very animated; often quite tame. It has none of the strength of Bancroft's style-none of the splendor of Prescott's. Mr. Goodrich, however, nar

A Pictorial History of America; embracing both the Northern and Southern Portions of the New World. By S. G. Goodrich. Illustrated with more than three hundred engravings. Hartford: Published by House & Brown. 1848.

rates with great perspicuity. Whatever he relates, he makes perfectly clear. We are never troubled to understand him, either from obscurity or depth of thought. He cannot claim any of the highest qualities of a philosophical historian, although he has many of the most valuable ones of a compiler, industry in the examination of authorities, much prudence in avoiding controverted points, and no small degree of skill in selecting what is really interesting. His work cannot be considered a single history, but rather a number of histories bound in the same volume. The relation of the different parts is none too clear. To trace the causes which have produced the great civil and political difference between the northern and southern portions of America, seems to have been entirely foreign from his purpose. He has not sufficiently regarded the influence which the English revolution had on the American colonists. From his allusions, he seems to have forgotten the splendor of the Spanish nation during the reign of Philip II.

Although each separate part of American history may have been written. perhaps better, yet we have in Mr. Goodrich's book a uniform picture of the Western Continent, which enables us to judge better of the comparative condition of its northern and southern portions. His want of imagination has led him to speak of the adventures of Cortes and Pizarro with as little enthusiasm as of the landing of the Dutch in Brazil; of the romantic history of the Incas, as coolly as of the length of a river or height of a mountain; of the landing of the Pilgrims, as tamely as of Rolfe's marriage with Pocahontas; still, the whole story is uniformly told by a single person, so that we may compare the two portions of the continent with better hope of success.

Whoever desires to learn, on the one hand, those causes which are sure to degrade and enslave a people, or, on the other, those which have a tendency to elevate and make a nation free, should study well the history of the Anglo-American and Spanish-American population. To ascertain the causes which have produced the great difference between the two races, will be the reward of a most interesting historical study. The prosperity of one class is as wonderful as the adversity of the other. A course of most curious events has favored the healthy growth of freedom among the Anglo-Americans. A course of equally curious events has brought upon the Spanish-Americans nearly every civil and political calamity.

At

The Spanish-American republics, if indeed republics they may be called, are in a state of political anarchy. They are most wretchedly governed. They have only a vague idea of freedom. None of them has succeeded in practically establishing a free government. As colonies, they separated from Spain, because the parent state was too weak to rule an infant. one time, they are dupes of blind leaders; at another, slaves of wily despots. They were dazzled by the military genius of Bolivar, who in the end sought to establish a dictatorship. They have tamely yielded, in another place, to the most despotic rule of Dr. Francia. The condition of a people could scarcely be worse. The worst political despotism in Europe would be indeed better than their nominal republicanism.

Their moral condition is as bad as their political. Real Christianity is almost unheard of among them. Their religion is Catholic, of which they would seem to know little more than the external form, however valuable it might be. They are as benighted in this respect as the Spaniards were in the seventeenth century, when all the rest of Europe was feeling the influence of the Reformation. The entire want of established moral character

among the people, is a result which might be expected from a mere nominal Christianity. Errors which have grown into their mental constitution, they seem no more able to put aside than parts of their physical organization. Their political anarchy has a tendency to choke the growth of vital Christianity. The hand of oppression is removed from them, because the arm of the oppressor is unnerved. They know not what to do. They look like men standing in darkness, bleared by the sudden appearance of light into which they dare not go.

The people are also almost entirely destitute of intellectual culture. Institutions of learning scarcely exist among them. Education of the youth is almost entirely neglected. Hunting-dogs are more numerous than books. The press, for the most part, is under the control of those whose interest it is to keep the people in ignorance. If any more bold and just than the rest undertake to advocate the people's rights, they are rewarded by the assassin's dagger. It is entirely useless to talk about establishing a free government among ignorant men. They understand neither their duties nor their privileges. They are haunted with bewitching day dreams of glory, while they are veered about by every wind that blows.

The Spanish-American population are in triple darkness,-in political, moral, and intellectual night. If the people had the means of becoming educated, they would in time overcome their other difficulties. Men in intellectual darkness can be neither Christianized nor civilized. In the Spanish-American states, political disorganization and religious superstition prevent the people from receiving intellectual light. Their ignorance prevents them from bettering their political condition, or seeking much practical good from the existing form of religion. Such being the case, we cannot expect that they will make much progress towards enlightened government, until they are roused from their lethargy by some foreign influence.

As a natural result from these causes, the people lack energy and enterprise. Their territory is exhaustless in physical resources; the soil is fertile; the climate, for the most part, is good; but they neglect the true sources of national prosperity. The indolent people prefer hunting to tilling the earth. When we consider their natural advantages, they can hardly be said to have any commerce. They have a coast extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of California. Ports are numerous and safe. No position could be more favorable for commerce to every part of the world. Their rivers afford every facility for internal commerce. The Amazon, with its tributaries, has 50,000 miles of navigable waters-10,000 more than the Missouri; the La Plata has 20,000; the Oronoco has 8,000. No part of the globe has such facilities for internal navigation. All these advantages are neglected. The people, possessing the most inexhaustible 'sources of wealth, are pitiably poor.

While this is the condition of the Spanish-American states, the prosperity of our country is unexampled. Our government is better than all others adapted to the wants of a free people. The people are living under the government, happy, prosperous, contented. They are industrious, moral, and intelligent. Christianity has a strong hold on their hearts. There are more institutions of learning in our country than in any other of equal population. Freedom of the press is enjoyed. More newspapers are printed and circulated among us than in all the rest of the world. The activity of our people is unsurpassed. The soil is made to yield its fruits in the richest abundance. Our manufactures vie with those of Europe.

Our lakes, rivers and coasts are teeming with busy commercial life. Our sails whiten every sea. Our flag is respected in every part of the globe. American energy and enterprise are without a parallel. There is scarcely a spot upon the earth which does not bear proof of our people's industry. Improvements in every art show the superior skill of our operators. The steam palaces which float upon our waters, the railroads that intersect every part of the country, the telegraphic lines that bring in close proximity the confines of the Republic, are proofs of the inventive genius and the practical talent of the Anglo-American race. All these things combined, constitutes the most admirable character of our people, establishes the great glory of our institutions, and makes our nation envied by the world.

The inquiry for the causes of this difference is a subject of great interest. It concerns alike the statesman, the historian, the literary man. By diligent study we shall be able to find the sources of uneasiness in those collectivebodies, which in all ages have been called governments. We shall be able to see something of those grotesque figures, sometimes fattened to lazy corpulence; oftener starved to haggard leanness; now gorged with blood; in turn mangled and bleeding; rarely inflated with success; often humbled, meditating inquisitions, star-chambers, and death; every now and then treading out the life of the people with huge iron heels; in the lapse of centuries laying their own brawny necks down for the infuriated people, madly to play at the sport of the guillotine; many times blindly storming in the midst of chaotic confusion; once in the course of ages smiling upon the people in acknowledgment of man's native independence.

It is necessary for us, in the first place, to inquire what was the difference in the character of the nations from which adventurers went to the New World. In the next place, we must look for the causes in the countries settled, which had a tendency to produce so great a diversity.

Colonies usually retain the characteristics of the nations from which they spring. The Spanish character is still seen in the Spanish-American. The weak government of Spain has transmitted many of its worst constitutional diseases to the Spanish-American states. On the other hand, the settlers in North America carried with them the English character. The constitution, which has been the glory of the English people, lives a new and more perfect life in our political institutions. This was the original cause of difference. Many causes in the New World have operated to make this difference great as possible.

To the genius of Columbus must be attributed the discovery of the Western continent. No nation can rightly lay claim to the honor of having extended patronage. The discoverer obtained the most pitiable supply for a voyage of discovery, only after being repulsed again and again. His success was not owing to the efforts of the Spanish government. With scarcely

a single friend to second his proposals, he prevailed against the opposition of silly prelates and ignorant courtiers. Although he was received with much applause at Barcelona, after his discovery of the New World, yet his splendid success only roused the hatred and jealousy of the Spaniards. After four voyages of discovery, he was at last entirely neglected. The death of Isabella, who had patronized and protected him, deprived him of his last resource. Overwhelmed with calamities, disgusted with the ingratitude of those whom he had faithfully and successfully served, declining in age, and broken in heart, he lingered a few years longer in poverty and neglect, making from time to time a fruitless appeal to the honor and justice. of those who had given him" chains for a crown, a prison for a world,"

and finally closed his life at Valladolid, May 20th, 1506, in the 59th year of his age."

The discovery of Columbus added a half to the world. A new field of enterprise was open to Europe. Every nation was alive. Adventurers flocked to almost every capital for patronage. Kings were proud to give their support. But of all European nations, Spain and England did most towards colonization. All the southern portions of America fell into the hands of the Spaniards. Great Britain contended to get possession of the greater part of North America. France indeed displayed her usual activity, but her jealous British neighbors were equally busy, better supplied with ships, and more determined to gain the ascendancy.

When Columbus discovered America, the government of Spain, though more efficient than it has been for a century past, was still feeble enough. The successors of Ferdinand were in many respects ignorant, jealous, selfish. Columbus was feared and neglected. They felt towards him as the Carthaginian rulers did towards Hannibal, when they thought him on the eve of conquering Rome. Nothing could exceed the blindness of their jealousy, the madness of their injustice, the stupidity of their general policy.

The Spanish people were exceedingly superstitious. They were then, and have continued to be, devoted to the Catholic form of worship, but have not, like other nations, received from it any vital principle. The influence of the Reformation was felt everywhere in Europe, except in Spain. The Spaniards only clung the tighter to their cherished idols. They venerated St. Dominic more and more. The nobles were slaves of bigotry. The masses were blind with ignorance. Those who went to the Western continent took with them the same character. They adhered to the form, and retained the name of the Catholic religion, nevertheless they were the worst of mankind. They were wild adventurers whom the jealousy of the government at home could not deter. To the rights of the natives of the New-Hemisphere they did not pay the slightest regard. When self-interest interfered they had no respect for one another. Destitute of moral purpose, they had no principles to establish. They only sought something to promote their own interests-to make a fortune, or to retrieve a sunken one. The natives were commanded to adopt their religion, to supply them with provisions, to bring them gold. Death was the penalty for refusal or inability to comply. Demoniac joy pervaded the breasts of the Spaniards, while firing cannon among those who were kneeling to worship the great spirit whose voice they supposed they heard. Females were the victims of unrestrained and most brutal lust.

The character of the British people was essentially different from that of the Spanish. They were by far the best governed of any people in Europe. They possessed, when compared with others, a good degree of intelligence and freedom. Before their attention had been turned towards the west, Comines, who had seen much of European governments, said of the English people; "Or selon mon entre toutes les seigneuries du monde, dont j'ay connaissance, ou la chose publique est mieux traitée, et ou regne moins de violence sur le peuple, et ou il n'y a nuls edifices abbatus n'y demolis pour guerre, c'est Angleterre; et tombe le sort et le malheur sur ceux qui font la guerre." They had from time to time, after obtaining the Magna Charta, tasted somewhat of national liberty, and most manfully resisted when the kings ventured to revive systems of continental oppression. In England, too, the fruits of the Reformation were more abundant than in any other nation. Henry the Eighth gave his people an example of resisting oppression. The fire of Puritanism, while the enemies of freedom