654 
“¢ The Hiflory of England from the Peace 
of 37343, to the Treaty concluded at Amiens, 
in 18023 being a Continuation of Coote’s 
© Hificry of England from the earlteft 
Dawn of Record to the Peace of 17833 
by the Author of the former Part.” 
It is with much fatisfaction that we have 
perufed this calm, impartial, and well- 
written hiftory. Dr. Coors, in defcrib- 
ing the pafhng events of the day, has the 
great merit of avoiding every intemperate 
and uncandid expreffion. Though with 
lefs courtefy about him than Dr. Biffet, he 
has no les patriotifm and loyalty; his 
refietions are generally acute, his views 
enlarged, and his fentiments liberal, hu- 
mane, and juft. The ‘¢ Continuation”’ is 
in every refpect worthy of the author of 
the © Hiftory;”” and it is at once with fur- 
prize and regret we Jearn, that his remu- 
neration for former labours has been fo 
inadequate to the value of them. 
Dr. Bisset has pubdlifhed ia fix o&avo 
volumes, an ‘ iiffory of the Reign of 
George Ili. to the Termination of the late 
War.” 
If pofterity does not inform itfelf ac- 
felf accurately of the courfe and character 
of the occurrences, civil, military, and re- 
ligious, which have marked the prefent 
reign, the Jack of information mutt be 
attributed to fome other caute than the 
lack of hiftorians. Never, perhaps, were 
more contemporary pens employed in de- 
{cribing the fame period than have been, 
and doubtlefs are ftill, employed in re- 
cording the everts of the prefent. To 
Macfarlane, Coote, Belfham, an-! Adol- 
phus (befides the hiftorians of particular 
events) is now to be added the name of 
Biflef, a name known as the flittering 
biographer of Mr. Burke. Dr. Biffet is 
a careful and induftrious hifiorian 5 he in- 
veftigates minutely, and details with pre- 
cifion. The patiiamentary debates are 
condenfed with judgment, and characters 
are drawn, if not wich ttrict imparti-lity, 
at any rate with an agreeable and deco- 
rous courtely towards that clafs of poliri- 
cians whole cpinions differ, feta cal, 
from thoie of the hifiorian. Ceurtely, 
indeed, is a di#inguifhing feature of the 
prefent work, Public meafures and pub- 
Jic men are very generally applauded, and 
Dr. Eifict is never at a lots fer apology, 
when want of fuccefs has invpeacned the 
wifdéom of the one, or want of confiltency 
thrown fufpicion on the other. This dif- 
pelition to panegyrize is more and more 
undifguifed as the hiito:ian approaches the 
prefent time; and fome of the iranfa&tions 
of the la war are now warmly defended, 
4 
Retrofpeet of Domejlic Literature.— Hiftory. 
which, it may be fufpected, would have 
been left to defend themfelves, had they 
occurred in the earlier parts of the reign. 
The ftyle of Dr. Biffet’s hiftory is ealy 
and unaffeéted, occafionally animated and 
elegant. It needs not fhrink from a com- 
parifon with its rivals. 
Mr. Ritcuie has publifhed, in three 
ofavo volumes, ‘** Political and Military 
Memoirs of Europe, from the Renewal of 
the War on the Continent in 1798, to the 
Peace of Amiens in 1802.” 
The enthufiafm with which the ffruggles 
of the French for the recovery of their liber- 
ty during the early part of the Revolution 
(alas, how utterly fuccefslefs!) infpired 
Mr. Ritchie, has but little abated; and 
the antipathy of the hifiorian to the mea- 
fures.of the Pitt Adminifiration, too often 
drives him to the oppofite extreme of de- 
fending the defpotic policy of France. 
The Peace of Amiens is reprehended in 
terms of feverity, as being difgraceful 
and ignominious to the laft degree ; nor is 
the condué of the late Ex-munifier pafled 
over without fome very acrimonious ani- 
madverfio::s. ‘ The fanction (fays Mr. 
Ritchie) of terms fo degrading — of 
terms which the vanquifhed only could 
be iuppofed to receive, was a difagreeable 
duty to the Britifh legiflature; it was di- 
reftly hoftile to their proceedings during 
the laft eight years. When their political 
Opponents, on fo many former occafions, 
fnggefled moderation, inftead of that con- 
temptuous pride which, inflated the inca, 
pacity of war-minifters ; when they pro- 
pofed the acknowledgment of the Frencls 
epublic, and a compromife as to terri- 
tory, by the renunciation of fome of her 
colonies and the retention of others, Mr. 
Pitt exclaimed, that he trafted there was 
not a man to fign fuch a treaty, and not 
acourier to carry it. Yet, bya flrange 
fatality, one of his warme(t partizans was 
fejeS&ted to conclude a peace on lefs fa- 
vourable conditions, and officially pro- 
nounce its eulogy. At the fame time the 
Ex-minifier, with incredible effrontery, 
openly joined in the tranfaftion; but 
fhewed no compunétion, and felt no abafe- 
ment, from felf-contradiétion. In the 
courfe of his oration, during the folemn 
difcuffion of the treaty in the Houfe of 
Commons, he laughed ; and in this play= 
ful humour, which excited a correfpond- 
ing fenfation among his friends, were the 
deareit interelts cf the nation decided. 
The Britons who fell on the plains of 
Flanders and the fard-hills of Holland, 
could never bave furmifed that their fu- 
neval rites would be celebrated with mer- 
kiment ¢ 
{ 
