TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
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who figure in history would be stripped of all their honors; for it can- not be denied that many of the most exalted of human achievmts, and the noblest deeds which have resulted in national glory and good, were inspired and prompted by very base and unworthy passions. The act and the actor may be to each as light & darkness. The one may be fraught with boundless blessings, and the other filled with the worst of fires. I conceive that the whole truth should be given; & that the simple chronicling of events, without the statements of the motives of the actors, is but ·the telling of half a truth, 3lnd falling short of the duty of the historian. Such a course is of pernicious influence. When we read of any great exploit that extorts our approval, and wonder, it at the same time excites a high admiration of the actor, and if un- deceived as to his motives, we ascribe to him principles & virtues equal to his acts, which indeed he may have never felt. And thus whilst we are enlightened in one way we are falsely impressed in another. The historian leaves upon the mind of the reader two impressions- a true knowledge of an incident and a wrong idea of the character. Is it not as important that the real character of those who figure in public, should be known as the knowledge of their acts.? The mere naration of events cannot be useful, It may be amusing, but even in this point history must yield to fiction. The only way in which his- tory can be made useful, is to give the whole truth and a full & fair, and not a false representation of the persons treated of; to do this, their motives must be exposed, and where they are virtuous, they must receive their due praise, and where vicious or unworthy, their just con- demnation. By such a course, history may be made to act as strong incentive to virtue and a terror from evil; for the reader will find in its pages, that justice will be done him, that if he is influenced by mean & agravating spirit, his character will be lost & the glory of his deeds tarnished; but if on the other hand, the reader finds that in history that the deed itself and not the virtue of the actor brings ap- plause-that no distinction between good & bad motives are drawn, provided the deed lie something beyond common attainmt, he will have his inducement to honesty weakened, and his temptation to accomplish grand objects regardless of the means, greatly strengthened- [Endorsed :] General observations on writing History No. 2800. EARLY SETTLEMENT OF TEXAS. LAMAR 42 [Richmond? Texas, 185- ?l CHAPTER 2ND The precise object of Philip Nolan's operations in Texas is not known.- In 1799, at the head of a small party he penetrated into the interior of the country between the Trinity and the Brazos, for the avowed purpose of catching wild horses; but with the secret object, as it was supposed, of searching for gold mines in the Commanchee regions.- He was not ignorant of the law of Spain, prohibiting the admission of foreigners into the country. No one was allowed to
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