SPECTATOR'S LIBRARY.

Hrirroar. The History of the British Empire in India. By Edward Thornton. Esq.. Author

of India, its State and Ptospects," &c. 8.:c. In live volumes Allen and CU-

MM.%

Narrative of the Santa Fe Expedition; comprising a description of a Tour through Texas, and across the Great Sonth.western Prairies. the Comanche and Ca■oila Hunting-grounds, with an account of the Sufferings from want of local. Losses from hostile Indians, and final Capture of the Texans. and their march as prisoners to the city of Mexico. With Illustrations and a Map. By Geo. Wilkins Kendail. In two volumes Wiley and Putnam. Porrav, King Alfred ; a Poem. By John Fitchett. Edited by Robert Roscoe ,.. Pickering.

THORNTON'S HISTORY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE IN

Ma. Thoascrox's object in this work appears to have been to furnish an account of the rise and progress of the British territorial power in India which should be less elaborate and more popular than the larger histories, but of a completer and in its conclu- sions of a more independent character than the numerous compila- tions which have been published. In his preface he remarks- 1` It is not inconsistent with fact to affirm that our literature does not possess a history of British India which is at once popular in its style, comprehensive in its details, and just in its estimate of events and of those concerned in them. Each of these qualities may be found apart from the rest, but there is no record of British conquest and British rule in India in which they are combined." The ambitious aim indicated in this quotation is not achieved. The book is readable, but its prolixity and an unskilful manage- ment of the narrative often cause it to lag behind the impatience of the reader : its judgments are always fair, and generally just, but in the higher topics the mind of the author is unequal to the theme. Then, comparing the length of the work with the amount of essential information conveyed, it cannot be said that Mr. THORNTON has attained the object which he aimed at. The character of the ancient Hindoo system, which MILL examined and explained with such critical and felicitous elaboration, is rele- gated by Mr. THORNTON to a note : the history of the Mahometan invasions and rule, together with the rise of the Mahratta power, are told in a chapter ; a couple of pages dismiss the commercial history of the Company ; parts of three more chapters suffice for the contests between the French and English Companies, waged under the guise of allies of the native powers, till CLIVE'S con- quest of Bengal, and the establishment of the East India Com- pany as territorial sovereigns. All these subjects occupy less than one-third of a volume in Mr. THORNTON'S History of the British Empire in India; whereas in MILL they extend to more than a third of his work. Hence, the difference of length in the respective narratives of British India is not so great as it at first appears; for although MILL closes his work with the government of the Mar- .quis of WELLESLEY, (1805,) and Mr. THORNTON brings down his history to the last alteration of the Charter, (1833,) MILL scarcely occupies four octavo volumes for about fifty years, Mr. THORN- TON nearly five for eighty years. This difference in relative length is not much, especially in reference to the more marked character and importance of the earlier periods; but even had it been greater, it was insufficient to require that portion of the story which MILL had treated to be retold, unless on a discovery of new facts, or by the possessor of some very remarkable qualifications. New facts are not likely to be found: enough of new views has been furnished by Professor WILsost in his notes upon MILL; and Mr. ELPHINSTONK, when he completes his history, will bring a prac- tical knowledge of the people and extensive official experience of Indian affairs to vivify his narrative of the same period. To very re- markable qualifications as an historian Mr. THORNTON had no claim, nor does he exhibit their possession. Though a fair-minded man, and a pleasant writer of historical memoirs, he is devoid of the historical mind—of that comprehension which embraces the entire scope and character of its subject ; that sagacity which perceives the distinguishing characteristics of men and events ; the acumen to separate intrinsic qualities from accidental circumstances ; the critical judgment to unsparingly reject subordinate incidents which interfere with the main end, however striking they may be in themselves ; the lofty sagacity which speaks "like one having authority," and compels the reader to receive decisions even when he may dissent from them, as the conclusions of a superior mind ; and lastly, the genius which fuses the entire production into a consistent whole; and animates it with vitality. No effort or consideration can procure these qualities; but there are positive and tangible faults of treatment that might have been remedied. Mr. THORNTON rarely omits an opportunity of indulging in sermonizing disquisition, often unnecessary, always prolix ; he seems to have a sort of gossip's love for concomitant circumstances or anecdotes, which delay the main narrative, swell the book with matter for notices or memoirs, and often overlay the principal with sub. ordinate subjects. He also appears to have felt a difficulty by the preoccupation of the field. He sometimes seems to cursorily dismiss a subject of character and importance because it had been fully handled before ; a circumstance which may perhaps explain his resort to striking details and individual anecdotes. In fine, the work has the spirit of a compilation with the form of a great history; though Mr. THORNTON has more knowledge and research than a mere compiler, and his conclusions are his own.

The qualities of the work are not of a kind to furnish examples of regular historical narration fitted for extract ; but, as examples of Air. Ttwaicrou'a manner, we will take two or three of those de-

tails which, brief in themselves and illustrating manners as well as marking events, may properly be introduced into history.

EFFECTS OF DISCIPLINE.

Various methods of sheltering the men from the enemy's fire were tried ; but the enemy. after a time, moving part of their guns, so as to attack the division in flank as well as in front, the field-pieces of the English being dis- abled, and the men beginning to lose courage, a retreat became advisable, if not inevitable. A singular illustration of the instinct of discipline marked this movement. The grenadiers of one of the Company's battalions were to halt near the gate ; but, seeing it open, they marched out into the plain, quickening their pace at every step. Sensible that to call after men in such a state of feeling would only have the effect of adding to their fear and driving them into wild and disorderly flight, Major Calliaud followed and passed them—when, stopping suddenly in front, he cried, " Halt." The men obeyed the word of command, formed according to order, turned, and followed the officer who bad thus recalled them to duty. The retreat was subsequently conducted in good order.

DOWNFALL OF LALLY AND THE FRENCH POWER.

When the authority of Lally was at an end, those who had been subjected to it gave unrestrained vent to their feelings of dislike. A crowd assembled to witness his departure for Madras. On his appearance they raised a general shout of derisive execration, and would probably have proceeded to violence, had they not been prevented by the escort. The shout was renewed on the appearance of Dubois, the King's Commissary, who stopped, and said he WU ready to answer any one. One of the crowd stepped forward and drew his sword ; Dubois did the same : he was a man advanced in years, and labouring under the infirmity of defective sight : the second pass laid him dead at his antagonist's feet. No one would assist his servant to remove the body ; and the man who had taken his life was regarded as having performed a merito- rious act.

KEEPING THE PROMISE TO THE EAR.

Koonde Row was surrendered to the conqueror; who imprisoned him in an iron cage. Before the surrender, the Rajah and the ladies of the palace (with whom the Brahmin appears to have stood in extraordinary favour) joined in entreating mercy towards Hyder's former friend. Hyder answered, that he would not only spare his life, but cherish him like a parroquet. When afterwards re- minded of this, he replied, that he had literally kept his word ; and referred in proof to the cage in which the prisoner was confined, and the allowance of rice and milk allowed for his subsistence.

The following character of awn is deficient in historical vigour of style, but is true, though harsh, and mistaken with regard to his statesmanship. CLIVE was not a clever administrator ; indeed, he was never long enough engaged in civil administration to form or display the ministerial faculty. But in that power of mind which discerns the essential principle of action, to be pursued through every change of circumstances till the final goal is reached, he excelled every man who either went to India or remained at home. The necessity of continual advance—of constant conquest—which every one can point out now that its fulfilment is approaching, he saw and proclaimed at the outset ; and so just was his perception, that his prediction has been steadily carried out, although the prin- ciple of conquest on which it was based has been continually op- posed to the wishes of the home government auel-the British people, and even to the first ideas of some Governors-General.

CHARACTER OF CLIVE.

The reader who looks back upon the scenes through which he has been con- ducted, will at once perceive that it is on his military character that Clive's reputation must rest. All the qualities of a soldier were combined in him, and each so admirably proportioned to the rest that none predominated to the detriment of any other. His personal courage enabled him to acquire a de- gree of influence over his troops which has rarely been equalled, and which in India was before his time unknown ; and this, united with the cool and coin- summate judgment by which his daring energy was controlled and regulated, enabled him to effect conquests which, if they had taken place in remote times, would be regarded as incredible. Out of materials the most unpromising he had to create the instruments for effecting these conquests; and he achieved his object, where all men but himself might have despaired. No one can dwell upon the more exciting portions of his history without catching some portion of the ardour which led him through these stirring scenes; no one who loves the country for which he fought can recall them to memory without mentally breathing, Honour to the name of Clive. In India his fame is greater even than at home ; and that fame is not his merely—it is his country's. Well had it been for Clive, well had it been for the country which he KO nobly served, if his brilliant qualities as a soldier had not been alloyed by any base admixture. It was not to be expected that be should be exempt from all touch of human weakness; but his tailings were such as could scarcely have been believed to coexist with the admirable military virtues which he possessed and exercised. They were not the splendid infirmities of an aspiring spirit, but the mean propensities which might be thought incompatible with greatness of mind. In the field, daring, self-denying, and self-devoted, Clive seemed a miracle of chivalrous valour—but the hero was assumed and cast off with the occasion; and he whose noble bearing fixed the admiration of nations, and decided the fortune of thrones, could descend to the exercise of trickery and rapacity equal to that of the Banyan, so accurately and powerfully de- picted by himself in one of his Parliamentary speeches. While history pre- serves the name of Omichund, the reputation of Clive must labour under a foul and fearful blot ; while men remember the means by which his princely fortune was accumulated, their admiration of his genius and courage will be qualified, in gentler minds by a feeling of pity fur his weakness, in those of sterner cast by indignation and scorn. Clive spoke of the love of wealth as one of the master passions of the human heart ; and his conduct leads to the belief that, in this instance, he was no cold rhetorician—that he spoke as he felt. Ile was enslaved by the demon to whose power he bore witness, and the effects of his thraldom are discernible in almost every action of his life. Grasping in India gold, jewels, and jaghire, with more than Oriental avidity—communicating secret intelligence to his agents at home to enable them to make favourable bar- gains in India Stock—everywhere private interest and plans for self-aggrandize- ment are mixed up with the highest public objects. Yet, while truth requires that his undue appetite for wealth be noted, justice demands that it be at the same time recorded, that this passion, powerful as it was, never interfered with his duty to his country. When his personal interest and the honour of the British name were opposed, he could, apparently without an effort, expel from his breast the ravening spirit which usually possessed it, and cast the darling passion of his soul a willing offering at the shrine of patriotism. When he de- termined to resist by force the hostile demonstrations of the Dutch, the greater part of his fortune was in their bands. He thought not of this; or, if the thought occurred, it was only to be despised. Clive, indeed, loved wealth too well, but he loved his country better. A mind sometimes soaring so far above the level of human nature, and sometimes sinking so much below it, is rarely to be foand. As a statesman, Cfives vision was clear, but not extensive. Be could promptly and adroitly adapt his policy to the state of things which he found suiting; but none of his acts display any extraordinary political sagacity.