3739. HISTORY (American), Criticisms on.—
It is impossible to read thoroughly
such writings as those of Harper and Otis,
who take a page to say what requires but a
sentence, or rather, who give you whole pages
of what is nothing to the purpose. A cursory
race over the ground is as much as they can
claim. It is easy for them, at this day, to
endeavour to whitewash their party, when the
greater part are dead of those who witnessed
what passed, others old and become indifferent
to the subject, and others indisposed to
take the trouble of answering them. As to Otis,
his attempt is to prove that the sun does not
shine at midday; that that is not a fact which
every one saw. He merits no notice. It is well
known that Harper had little scruple about
facts where detection was not obvious. By
placing in false lights whatever admits it, and
passing over in silence what does not, a plausible
aspect may be presented of anything.—
To William Short. Washington ed. vii, 389.
Ford ed., x, 328.
(M.
1825)
