Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 56, Number 348

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25066

Title

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 56, Number 348

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (1844) presents a curated selection of historical essays and memoirs. It features a biography of the diplomat Lord Malmesbury, a dramatic retelling of the Gallic Wars by Augustin Thierry, and a critical historical analysis of the Arab conquests and the Roman Empire by George Finlay. The collection blends aristocratic memoir, classical history, and rigorous political commentary.

Summary up to 500 words

This volume of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine presents a tripartite exploration of history, diplomacy, and political philosophy. The opening piece is a memoir of Lord Malmesbury, compiled by his descendant. It chronicles his distinguished diplomatic career from 1768 to 1797, highlighting his service under both Pitt and Fox, his missions to Spain, Berlin, and the Hague, and his pivotal role in the Treaty of Amiens. The text praises his sagacity, noting that Talleyrand considered him the ablest minister of his time. Malmesbury's personal reflections on English patriotism and the profound influence of his scholarly father are also recounted, portraying him as a man of vigor, intrepidity, and knowledge who navigated the treacherous waters of European politics with success. Following this, Augustin Thierry provides a vivid narrative of the Gallic Wars, specifically focusing on the siege of Delphi. The account details the Gauls' initial successes, their subsequent defeat by the Athenian fleet and Greek forces, and the brutal retreat through hostile territory. Thierry describes the psychological impact of a sudden storm and religious fervor on the besieged Greeks, who interpreted the weather as divine intervention. The narrative captures the Gauls' decimation by cold, famine, and ambushes, culminating in the Brenn's suicide and the slaughter of his wounded men during their desperate flight. The final major contribution is George Finlay's critique of the Arab conquests. Finlay argues that while the Arab mission was ostensibly to spread monotheism, their political institutions were barbarous and oppressive, comparable to Gothic or Hunnish monarchies. He contrasts the Roman system of local magistrates and legal independence with the Saracen empire's lack of civil rights and its eventual decay into sensuality and tyranny. Finlay concludes that Mahomet was a theological blunderer who appropriated the concept of divine unity from Jewish and Christian scriptures. He asserts that Islamism inherently contained a fatal flaw that prevented it from sustaining high civilization, describing the religion as a 'political ulcer' incapable of reform and destined for decay. Finlay praises the Greek race for emerging from Roman absorption to reclaim its distinct agency, crediting himself with rescuing this neglected subject from oblivion.

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Categories

• History
• Periodicals