A.N ACCOUNT OF THE EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS IN AMERICA, Containing An accurate Description of their Extent, Climate, Productions, Trade, Genius, and Dispositions of their Inhabitants : the Interests of the several Powers of Europe with respect to those Settle

506 Pages·1808·45.316 MB·English

by  Edmund Burke [and William Burke]

A.N
ACCOUNT
OF THE
EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS
IN
AMERICA,
An accurate Description of their Extent, Climate, Productions, Trade, Genius,
and Dispositions of their Inhabitants : the Interests of the several Powers of
Europe with respect to those Settlements; and their Political and Commercial
Views witli Regard to each other.
BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
EDMUND BURKE
NEW
A EDITION.
ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR JOHN JOSEPH STOCK.DALE,
NO. 41 PALL-MALL.
,
1808.
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THE ADVERTISEMENT.
WHY
the Editor of the Works of the Right Hon.
Edmund Burke excluded from such a collection his
"
admirable ACCOUNT of the European Settlements in
AMERICA," we pretend not to know. Of this ex
cellent book, we are certain, however, that Edmund
Burke was the real Author. Yet, we cannot, per
haps, assign our proofs of this fact, in stronger terms,
than has been already done, by the able writer of
"
The DOCUMENTS, for the that HUGH
Opinion,
MACAULEY BOYD wrote JUNIUS'S LETTERS:"
" We had now commenced," says he, " our war
with France- about American boundaries.
Every
tongue talked, in 1756, about our American rights;
and every pen scribbled about our checks by land,
and our successes by sea. While curiosity was awake,
and was Edmund Burke
inquiry active, produced,
An
in April 1757, Account of the European Settle
He
ments in America. was paid for the copyright
of this historical account, which was received with
an universal welcome, fifty'guineas.* Of this work,
* The writer of this saw the receipt, written with Edmund Burke's
own hand. The late Lord Maccartney used to say, that this was ajoint
b work
6 THE ADVERTISEMENT.
.
he would never admit, that he was the author. Yet,
such are its comprehensive brevity, and its elegant
that this book is not unworthy of the
precision,
Edmund
genius, and talents of Burke. I do not,
however, say, but that a man of more elaboration
than the author, with American records at his hand,
could detect in it some inaccuracies of assertion,
and expose more deficiencies ofpolicy. It is curious
to remark, that the taste of Burke corresponds with
the judgement of Hume, in historic writing: They
both concur, in simplicity of style, and strength of
remark. Yet, is it easy to perceive, from an exami
nation of his European Settlements, that Burke, in
history, would have shewn, like Hume, great pro
of and of
fundity observation, elegance narrative,
but, with all, great want of elaboration."
work of Mr. Burke, his brother, and his namesake William Burke,
Hut, tha principal merit of it belongs certainly to Mr. Edmund Burke.
Vet, an opinion, however respectable, cannot be admitted against such
a document, as a receipt, in the author's hand \yriting, for the copj-
right x<iney.
THE PREFACE
TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION
THE affairs of America have lately engaged a great deal of
the publick attention. Before the present war, there were but
a very few who made the history of that quarter of the world
any part of their study ; thougli the matter is certainly very
curious itself, and extremely interesting to us as a trading
poeple.
This history of a country which, though vast-in extent, i>
the property only of four nations and which, though peopled
;
probably for a series of ages, is only known to the rest of the
world for about two centuries, does not naturally afford matter
for many volumes. Yet it is certain, that, to acquire a proper
knowledge of the history of the events in America, an idea
of its present state, and a competent judgment of its trade, a
great deal of reading has been found requisite. And I may add,
that the reading on many parts of this subject is dry and dis
gusting ; that authors have treated on it, some without a suffi
cient knowledge of the subject, and others in such a manner
as no knowledge of the subject in the author could induce any
body to become readers. That some are loaded with a lumber
of matter that can interest very few and that others obscure
;
the truth in many particulars, to gratify the low prejudices of
b 2
parties,
8 THE PREFACE.
parties, and, I may say, of nations. Whatever is written by the
English settled in our colonies, is to be read with great caution ;
because very few of them write without a bias to the in
terest of the particular province to which they belong, or per
haps to a particular faction in that province. It is only by
comparing the printed accounts with one another, and those
with the best private information, and correcting all by au-
thentick matter of record, that one can discover the truth
;
and this hath been a matter of some difficulty.
/
With regard to the foreign settlements, recourse was had to
the best printed accounts of travellers and others ; and, in
some points, to private information from intelligent traders.
The materials for the foreign settlements are far from being as
perfect, or as much to be depended upon, as we could wish ;
it was very seldom that I could venture to transcribe any thing
from them without some addition or some corrective.
directly
In the historical part of this work, I fixed my eye prin
cipally on some capital matters, which might the most fully
engage and best reward the attention of the reader and in
;
treating of those I dwelt only upon such events as seemed to
me to affordsome political instruction, or to open the characters
of the principal actors in those great scenes. The affairs which
seemed most worthy of an account of any length, are those
splendid and remarkable events of the discovery of America,
and the conquest of the only two civilized kingdoms it con
tained.
In