fr<^ tiQQ fapiillar ^^^Yih ^^ ^4?^^ %



[ 2I«^ ]

at once' tKe grcateft incitcincnt td l^iWe^
and the greateft' lecurity to virt(!e;^ri*Ih ■
fhorr, the one maynrrillead thc.Irtt%J*
nation ; the otheh tends to inftatrie* tHe'
Pallions and' to corrupt the He^rf; '

The* pleaftire Whictt-%ve reccitc^fr6tti'
Hiflrofy arifes in'a greiat" n^e&flbrefftrtli
the'famefource'with^hat whickive ' re-^
ceivfeffom Rbmancei It is n6t rifeH)ire'
redtat of faftsf' that gives usr plcafibt;
They muft be fafts^ thafgivtfome'agl-
tation td the" Mfnd by their bcifng"intfi
pcjrtan't, intereftitig, orfitrprizingf;- But
cvints of this^ kind' do not vftty flfe-
qvfetitly occurin Hiftory, nor dcteisf'it
defcfehd to painf thofe' minute' feattiteS
of" particular pibrfotf^ which aremcflrfe'
likely' tb' engage our alfeifti^ns and'irf-
teffett otir paflloris than the fat6 of n^-
tidhii. It is not 'therefore forprizing'
that w6 find it fo^dilfi'cuk to keep atten-
tion' aWake in reading Hi'ftbrjT, and"

10 that



oFcompSfitioW tRari'irt ahy o'tKer. ' T6
rdmet'H.mo'ty'pmRttg arid' mttfeffift^i'
it Is'-rwfir'eiidugh that it be ftfiftiy iih-
paftidl,' tfiat' it be'wfirteh whh the vii-
mblfP efe|yA<ie' df language; arrd "abodn'd '
in^th^ ' doft ■ jtfdirfoti^ ' and urtcbrfiiftoA'
otifervatldtts-. We are ntVer agtdfeab^
intWSffieriihr a'Hifllory, tflt'Wfe c'tfritfia
ati^t'ficTimcnt ta fotrie public arfd M--
pohinf^c^le, or fdfiie' diftirigutflieff'
cMtkSicTi' vfhkK' it' repr^ehts to tit
Tlie fatt W thdTe' engttgbs tte' atftlilSort
arid^k^s^pi the Mind in'an ankiotis'y*
plSafi%"fofpetiW; Nbi'db W6 re!<niM*
thtaotiiot t6 violattftfe truth of Htf-
tcfifi by reprefehtnigbui' favoliritecadfe'
oi<^ herb ai^pe Weft 1 we will allovil^ hirti ti
repWfeiWall their- weJlknitires and imt
pdtfeffibns; b{jt- ffiir it muft be Willi
ftjghf a-'tetidtt- and' delifcatfe hand'as not
to' de'ft^dji'Gar atfAchttrctit. • There i* a
•^- fort



fpft of waity or confiftency of - thaWc-^
tftt that wc cxpcft eycn m HUlory ; An ' ■
author, of any ingenuity cany if he *
pk^fe^^ eafily difappaxnt this^cixpefta- ^
t!OP« without deviating from tnith.'
There are certain features in the ^eat- :
eQ:;,^nd worthiefl: Merr, which may 'be *
pjiinted jn fuch a light as to makethek-'i
charaders appear little and ridiculous/ "
T^$ if an Hiftorian be conftantly at- : ^
teptiye.to check admiration, it is ccr*. :
triply in his power ; but if the Mind
be thus continually difappointed, and-
c^.^eyfr find ^an objeft that may be
con^mplatfid with pleafure, though v«c
njiay admire his Genius, and be inftrudtv;:
cd,lpY his Hiftory, h,e will never leavcta^ ^.
