or an airy castle of romantic invention and fantastic
adventure, may easily write an Historical Romance; for him history is
only the nude manikin which he clothes and adorns according to his own
taste, and to which he gives the place and position most agreeable
to himself. But only the writer who is in earnest with respect
to historical truth, who is not impelled by levity or conceited
presumption, is justified in attempting this species of composition;
thoroughly impressed with the greatness of his undertaking, he will with
modest humility constantly remember that he has proposed to himself
a great and sublime work which, however, it will be difficult if not
impossible for him wholly and completely to accomplish.

But what is this great, this sublime end, which the Historical Romance
writer proposes to attain? It is this: to illustrate history, to
popularize it; to bring forth from the silent studio of the scholar and
to expose in the public market of life, for the common good, the great
men and great deeds embalmed in history, and of which only the studious
have hitherto enjoyed the monopoly. Thus, at least, have I considered
the vocation I have chosen, not vainly or inconsiderately, but with
a profound conviction of the greatness of my undertaking, and with
a depressing consciousness that my power and acquirements may prove
inadequate for the attainment of my proposed end.

But I am also fully conscious of what was and still is my greatest
desire: to give an agreeable and popular form to our national history,
which may attract the attention and affections of our people, which may
open their understandings to the tendencies of political movements, and
connect the facts of history with the events of actual life.

The severe historian has to do but with accomplished facts; he can only
record and describe, with the strictest regard to truth, that which has
outwardly occurred. He describes the battles of peoples, the struggles
of nations, the great deeds of heroes, the actions of princes--in short,
he gives the accomplished facts. To investigate and explain the secret
motives, the hidden causes of these facts, to present them in connection
with all that impelled to them, this is the task of Historical Romance.

The historian presents to you the outward face, the external form of
history; Historical Romance would show you the heart of history, and
thus bring near to your heart what, else, would stand so far off. To
enab