AND SIR CHARLES STEWART THE SECOND AND THIRD MARQUESSES OF LONDONDERRY WITH ANNALS OF CONTEMPORARY EVENTS IN WHICH THEY BORE A PART FROM THE ORIGINAL PAPERS OF THE FAMILY BY SIR ARCHIBALD ALISON, BART. D.C.L. LL.D. ETC. AUTHOR OF THE "HISTORY OF EUROPE," ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES VOL. I. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXI 200 l. 03. PREFACE. THE slightest examination of the following pages must be sufficient to convince every one that it has been constructed on a different principle from any of the numerous biographies of eminent men which have recently issued from the press, and partakes in many parts more of the character of general history than personal narrative. This plan was not adopted without consideration, and the reason of it was this - That the principal object of history is the narrative of events-of biography, the delineation of character,—is a common observation, which, in the general case, is undoubtedly well-founded. But in its application to particular instances it requires considerable modification. If the interest of a character consists in the genius by which its productions have been distinguished, or the vigour by which its thoughts have been expressed, no narrative of surrounding events is required, and any such would be misplaced. Every one would regret a page given to contemporary events in the biography of Michael Angelo, Tasso, Newton, or Johnson; but it is |