but entertained not the least idea of what has happened . . .
You have carved and mutilated it with so many erroneous statements
your embellishments, observation and remarks, must necessarily be erroneous
as proceeding from false grounds. . . . Can you suppose I can be pleased
with reading particulars (though so elevated, by you) of Marion and myself,
when I know such never existed." Though Horry did not want to be known
as the co-author of this work, I have suffered to let his name remain,
with this notice, as it has traditionally been connected with it.

For all this, the basic ideas, gleaned largely from facts
provided by Peter Horry and Robert Marion (the nephew of Francis),
remain largely unchanged. Even in this decadent state,
Weems' biography brought the nation's attention to Francis Marion,
and inspired numerous other writers to touch on the subject --
two of these works, biographies by James and Simms, are especially noteworthy.
Therefore, for the literary, rather than strictly historical, value,
the following is presented to the reader.

Alan Light, Birmingham, Alabama, 1997.





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Weems' Life of General Francis Marion
[Mason Locke Weems, American (Maryland) author & Anglican priest. 1759-1825.]
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