THIS BEST HISTORY OF EML&MD EXTANT. 
THE 
PICTORIAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND: 
Being a History of the People as well as of the Kingdom to the Reign of 
George III. 
PROFUSELY EMBELLISHED 
37 BAH; HUN DUBS INQBATIHOi ON WOOD 
OF MONUMENTAL RECORDS; COINS; CIVIL AND MILITARY COSTUME; DOMESTIC BUILDINGS, FURNITURE, AND 
ORNAMENTS; CATHEDRALS, AND OTHER GREAT WORKS OF ARCHITECTURE; SPORTS, AND OTHER 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF MANNERS; MECHANICAL INVENTIONS; PORTRAITS OF EMINENT PER¬ 
SONS ; AND REMARKABLE HISTORICAL SCENES. 
TO BE COMPLETED IN ABOUT 40 NUMBERS, AT 25 CENTS EACH, FORMING FOUR VOLUMES 
IMPERIAL OCTAVO.-VOLS. I. AND II. NOW PUBLISHED. 
CRITICAL OPINIONS. 
I have examined the Pictorial History of England 
with attention, and am very happy to bear my testimony, 
as far as it is worth any thing, to the merits, both of the 
plan and the execution. There is a multitude of facts 
which tend to illustrate the character and circumstances 
of a nation, but which have so little to do with the regu¬ 
lar march of events, that the historian finds incalculable 
embarrassment in incoporating them into his work. This 
has led one of the good English historians, Dr. Henry, 
to execute a work on a plan similar to that of the Picto¬ 
rial History, in which the different departments are dis¬ 
cussed in separate chapters, without an attempt to weave 
them into the narrative. It is scarcely possible, howev¬ 
er, for one man to do justice to such a variety of topics, 
involving researches into civil history, jurisprudence, 
public economy, arts, literature, and fashion. These 
have been committed, in the Pictorial History, to differ¬ 
ent persons, some of whose names are a sufficient guar¬ 
antee to the excellence of their performance. The result 
is, that every step in the progress of the British Empire 
toward its unprecedented greatness has been carefully 
traced, and the sources and the results of its wonderful 
prosperity fully exhibited to the eye. The parts of the 
book devoted to the resources of the country, to its an¬ 
tiquities, arts, and letters, are particularly curious and in¬ 
structive ; and there is a spirit of candor and liberal crit¬ 
icism running through the work, which commends it to 
the confidence of the reader—as much confidence as his¬ 
tory can lay claim to. 
The Pictorial Illustrations are admirable, not merely 
as embellishments, but for the information they convey; 
sustaining the text in a manner that presents it still more 
vividly to the reader’s mind; conveying, indeed, much 
of which, from the nature of the subject, it is impossible 
to give an adequate idea by description alone. The 
reader who has studied English history in the great 
works of Hume, Lingard, or Hallam, will find still much 
to be gleaned from a work like the present, which, with 
the narrative of events portrayed by these historians, 
combines the fruits of antiquarian and critical research¬ 
es in walks which they have not entered. He will gath¬ 
er, in short, from the study of these volumes a more thor¬ 
ough and satisfactory view of the interior organization of 
the country, its domestic resources, and its progress in 
civilization, than is to be found in any single work with 
which I am acquainted. —William H. Prescott. 
One of the most entertaining works in the language : 
there is no single work on English history more valuable. 
It is impossible that a man should be familiar with this 
pictorial history alone without attaining some degree of 
refinement. Of course, we give this work our cordial 
recommendation; it is a far more valuable work than 
Alison’s History, and should meet with a larger sale.— 
New York News . 
The only readable and really instructive history of En¬ 
gland, Scotland, and Ireland yet written. It is projected 
on a scale recommended by Macauley and Carlyle as the 
only veritable thing to be dignified with the name of his¬ 
tory. The writers have concentrated a great deal of 
matter that is scattered in various learned tomes, and 
have presented it in a most attractive form ,—Louisville 
Journal. 
In this work there is a whole library of rare and delight¬ 
ful reading. We question whether there is in this city a 
score of persons who know the ancient customs and le¬ 
gends of our forefathers in the rich fullness with which 
they are there treasured. The portraits of the heroes of 
old, their dress, seals, armor, and all the accessories of 
private life, are given in fine engravings, for the originals 
of which a hundred old library museums have been ran¬ 
sacked. To read this work and examine the illumina¬ 
tions with care is in itself an education. The first num¬ 
ber is not so winning; it implies the fatigue of breaking 
ground, but even before that is gone through, the atten¬ 
tion is awakened, and when the second number has in¬ 
troduced you to a household intimacy with all the strange 
ways of these olden times, it has the fascination of 
romance .—NewYork Sun. 
This work has a positive historical merit,"greater, per¬ 
haps, than would be expected from its title, and is real¬ 
ly an excellent history. It was compiled under the au¬ 
spices of the Society in England for the Diffusion of Use¬ 
ful Knowledge. The Harpers are publishing it in a very 
handsome manner. The engravings are beautifully ex¬ 
ecuted .—New York Post. 
It is sure to commend itself to the lovers of literature 
and art, wherever they may be found. In point of ty¬ 
pographical and pictorial merit, the History of England 
promises to be superior to any thing of the kind ever is¬ 
sued in our country. It will be printed on clear white 
paper, with new and beautiful type, and be profusely il¬ 
lustrated with many hundred engravings. Its literary 
character, too, well deserves the beautiful dress in which 
it will appear. This work is said to be the product of 
several of the most eminent pens of England, and it has 
received the warmest commendation from the critics of 
Great Britain .—Charter Oak. 
Having been for some years familiar with the work, 
we can speak confidently of its merits, and trust that the 
generous enterprise of the publishers will meet with abun¬ 
dant encouragement from the public. — Prot. Church¬ 
man. 
It 'is by general consent pronounced the rao^ reliable, 
accurate, and admirably arranged History Great Brit¬ 
ain that has appeared. We have rarely if ever, seen a 
book possessing stronger claims upoa public patronage. 
—New York Recorder. 
June t 1847. 
