A personal account of the last half and more of the 17th century in Britain ( )

"I am reading Burnet's Own Times. Did you ever read that garrulous pleasant history? He tells his story like an old man past political service, bragging to his sons on winter evenings of the part he took in public transcactions, when his 'old cap was new.' Full of scandal, which all true history is. No palliatives; but the stark wickedness that actually gives the 'momentum' to national actors. Quite the prattle of the age, and outlived importance. Truth and sincerity staring out upon you perpetually in 'alto relievo.' Himself a party man - he makes you a party man. None of the damned philosophical Humeian indifference, so cold and unnatural and inhuman. None of the damned Gibbonian fine writing, so fine and composite. None of Mr. Robertson's periods with three members. None of Mr. Roscoe's sage remarks, all so apposite, and coming in so clever, lest the reader should have had the trouble of drawing an inference. Burnet's good prattle I can bring present to my mind; I can make the revolution present to me: the French revolution, by a converse perversity in my nature, I fling as far 'from' me. To quit this damned subject, and to relieve you from two or three dismal yawns, which I hear in spirit, I hear conclude my more than commonly obtuse letter; dull, up to the dulness of a Dutch commentator on Shakspeare." Charles Lamb in his March 1, 1800 letter to Thomas Manning.

"Burnet's Own Times. --Did you ever read that garrulous, pleasant history? He tells his story like an old man past political service, bragging to his sons on winter evenings of the part he took in public transactions when his 'old cap was new.' Full of scandal, which all true history is. So palliative; but all the stark wickedness that actually gives the momentum to national actors. Quite the prattle of age and outlived importance. Truth and sincerity staring out upon you perpetually in alto relievo. Himself a party-man, he makes you a party-man. None of the cursed philosophical Humeian indifference, 'so cold and unnatural and inhuman.' None of the cursed Gibbonian fine writing, so fine and composite. None of Dr. Robertson's periods with three members. None of Mr. Roscoe's sage remarks, all so apposite and coming in so clever, lest the reader should have had the trouble of drawing an inference. Burnet's good old prattle I can bring present to my mind; I can make the Revolution present to me."
--Charles Lamb: Letters

This book is on my lists of recommended historical reading.

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=rbc3&fileName=rbc0001_2007jeffca...