The History of the Kings of England and the Modern History, Tr. by J. Sharpe. Revised with Notes by J. Stevenson (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854. Excerpt: ... MALMESBURY'S HISTORY OF THE KINGS. THE AUTHOR'S EPISTLE1 TO ROBERT EARL OF GLOUCESTER, SON OF KING HENRY THE FIRST.2 To my respected lord, the renowned earl Robert, son of the king, greeting; and, if aught they may avail, his prayers, from William, monk of Malmesbury. The virtue of celebrated men holds forth as its greatest excellence, its tendency to excite the love of persons even far removed from it: hence the lower classes make the virtues of their superiors their own, by venerating those great actions to the practice of which they themselves cannot aspire. Moreover it redounds altogether to the glory of exalted characters, both that they do good, and that they gain the affection of their inferiors. To you therefore, princes, it is owing that we act well; to you, indeed, that we compose anything worthy of remembrance: your exertions incite us to make you live for ever in our writings, in return for the dangers which you undergo to secure our tranquillity. For this reason I have deemed it proper to dedicate the History of the Kings of England, which I have lately published, more especially to you, my respected and truly amiable lord. None surely can be a more suitable patron of the liberal arts than yourself, in whom combine the magnanimity of your grandfather, the munificence of your uncle, ' the circumspection of your father; more especially as you add to the qualities of these men, whom while you equal in industry, you resemble in person, this characteristic peculiarly your own, a devotion to learning. Nor is this all: you even condescend to honour with your notice, those literary characters who are kept in obscurity either by the malevolence of fame, or the slenderness of their fortune. And as our nature inclines us not to condemn in others what we ..