"Inc Oppettator," 3ulp 12tb, 1851
CREASy'S DECisiVE BATTLES OF THE WORLD
It was a happy idea of Profegkor Creasy to select for military description and political remark those few battles of which, in the words of Hallam, " a contrary event would have essen- tially varied the drama of the world in all its subsequent scenes." The historian mentions Marathon, Arbela, the Metaurus, Chalons, Tours and Leipsic. To these Mr. Creasy has added, in the ancient world, the defeat of the Athenians at Syracuse, and the destruction of Varus and his Legions by Arminius ; in the middle ages, the battle of Hastings and Joan of Arc's victory at Orleans ; in more modern times, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the battles of Blenheim and Pultowa ; in our days, at least in the days of persons yet alive, Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, the battles of Vainly and of Waterloo—which last Mr. Creasy, we think without due consideration, substitutes for Leipsic.
The author observes in his preface that " it is probable that no two enquirers would entirely agree in their lists of the decisive battles of the world " ; and we are about to justify his observation by differing with him. Very great authorities are against us, but we doubt whether the junction of Hannibal and Hasdrubal would to a certainty have subjugated Rome.. . Neither can we attach such importance to Attila's check at Chalons, as both Hallam and Mr. Creasy do.... The destruction of the Gauls by Marius, and the battle of Pharsalia, both of which Mr. Creasy has omitted, seem to us as important as any he includes.
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