without taking notice of a

rope and America. Perfecution has now almoft totally ceafed, even in thofe countries where the Roman Catholic religion is ftill eftablished; and the power of the Inquifition, even where it is not abolished, is feldom or never exerted.

In the united kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, univerfal toleration refpecting religious opinions has been eftablished fince the revolution; although the Teft 48, and fome unrepealed ftatutes against Roman Catholics, ftill difgrace the British code. By the conftitutions of the American, French, Batavian, Cifalpine, Helvetic, and Ligurian re, publics, the most unlimited liberty of confcience is eftablifhed, and all religions are put upon a level with respect to civil rights. Even that long perfecuted race, the pofterity of Abraham, (whofe fingular fituation, during the laft 18 centuries, as a diftinct people, though difperfed among all nations, is a kind of landing miracle in proof of the truth of Chriftianity), now enjoy the rights of men and of citizens in thefe new republics, and feem to be getting rid of the confequences of that dread. ful curfe imprecated upon them by their ancestors 1768 years ago, and thus paving the way for that happy period, when the Jews fhall be brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles.

The ftate of religion in other parts of the world feems as yet to be but little altered. Afia and Africa are funk in the groffeft fuperftions either of the Mahometan or pagan kinds. The Chriftians of Abyffinia, from the lateft accounts, feem to be not in a much more enlightened state. The fouth ern continent of America, belonging to the Spaniards, continues immerfed in the moft abfurd fu. perftitions of popery. The northern continent, being moftly peopled with colonies from Great Britain, profeffes the reformed religion. At the fame time it must be owned, that fome kind of reformation hath taken place even in popery and Mahometanifm themfelves. The popes have no longer that authority over ftates and princes, even thofe moft bigoted to popery, which they former ly had. Neither are the lives either of the clergy or laity fo corrupt as formerly. The increafe of learning in all parts of the world has contributed to make men open their eyes to the light of reafon, and this has been attended with a proportion. al decrease of fuperftition.. Even in Mahometan countries, that furious enthufiafm which formerly emboldened the inhabitants to face the greateft dangers, has now almoft vanished; fo that the credit of Mahomet himself feems to have funk much in the estimation of his followers. This is to be understood even of the moft ignorant and bigoted multitude; and the fenfible part of the Turks are faid to incline much towards Deifm.

With regard to thofe nations which ftill profefs, paganifm, the intercourfe of Europeans with them is fo fmall, that it is impoffible to lay any thing concerning them. As none of them are in a ftate of civilization, however, it may be fuppofed that their religion is of the fame unpolished caft with their manners; and that it confifts of a heap of barbarous fuperftitions, which have been handed down among them from time immemorial, and which they continue to obferve merely on that account. It would perhaps be improper to conclude this

confiderable

that appears to have taken place, within these last 20 or 30 years, in a greater or lefs degree, in moft countries of Europe, but more particularly in Great Britain, and France, by the rapid influx of infidelity, or, (as its admirers affect to ftyle it), the NEW PHILOSOPHY. The numberlefs abfurdities of popery, with the dreadful and bloody perfecutions excited by it, had been long preparing the minds of the public to thake off the fetters of fuperftition, when Meirs Hume, Voltaire, Rouffeau, Gibbon, &c. by confounding Chriftianity with fuperftition and pricftcraft, and mingling ridicule with fophiftical arguments, attempted to overthrow the Chrif tian fyftem, altogether. The authority of fuch great names, their reputation for learning, and above all, the wit and humour that runs through their writings, made up for all deficiencies in folid reafoning, and eafily led numbers, to adopt their fentiments, who had never taken the trouble to examine either the external or internal evidences of Chriftianity..

DEISM had accordingly made confiderable progrefs among the higher claffes of fociety all over Europe, long before Paine's Age of Reafon fpread the infection among the lower ranks. But the remark long ago: made, that no rational being can ferioully be an atheift, (fee ATHEIST, 3) was ftill credited by Chriftians, as well as by moft Deifts; till the end of the 18th century produced the fingular moral phenomenon, of many of the moft learned men of France openly avowing themfelves to be atheifts and even defpifing Thomas Paine himfelf and his followers, for affuming the title and character of THEO-PHILANTHROPISTS.

The Chriftian, however, whofe faith is firmly built on revelation, inftead of allowing it to be fhaken by fuch fluctuations in public opinion, will have it more and more confirmed by thefe events: And he will confider, that, as the enormous power of the popifh hierarchy, and the other corruptions of Chriftianity, afford a decifive proof of its divine origin, from their having been long ago foretold by St Paul and St John, fo the progrefs of infidelity affords an additional proof of it, by fhowing that our Saviour's words will. ere long be fulfilled; viz. That " at his fecond coming he fhall hardly find faith on the earth,"

CICERO has given us the whole art of compofing hiftory, in a very concife and comprehenfive manner. No one is ignorant (fay's he) that the firft law in writing hiftory is, Not to dare to fay any thing that is falfe; and the next, Not to be afraid to speak the truth: that on the one hand there be no fufpicion of affectation, nor of prejudice on the other. Thefe foundations are what all are acquainted with. But the fuperftructure confifts partly in things, and partly in the ftyle of language. The former require an order of times and defcriptions of places. And becaufe in great and memorable events, we are defirous to know firft their caufes, then the actions themselves, and laftly their confequences; the hiftorian fhould take

notice

1

notice of the fprings or motives that occafioned them and, in mentioning the facts themfelves, fhould not only relate what was done or faid, but likewife in what manner; and, in treating upon their confequences, fhew if they were the effects of chance, wifdom, or imprudence. Nor fhould he only recite the actions of great and eminent perfons, but likewife defcribe their characters. The ftyle ought to be fluent, fmooth, and even, free from that harfhnefs and poignancy which is ufual at the bar. wds of anoibasmo, A hiftory written in this manner, and furnished with all thefe properties, must be equally enter taining and inftructives. Perhaps few have come nearer this plan, than Tacitus; though his fubject is attended with this unhappy circumftance, or at leaft unpleasant one, that it affords us examples, rather of what we ought to avoid than what to imitate. But it is the bufinefs of the hiftorian, as well as of the philofopher, to reprefent both vir tues and vices in their proper colours the latter doing it by precepts, and the former by examples, Their manner is different; but the end and defign of both is, or fhould be, the fame and therefore hiftory has not improperly been faid by fome, to be moral philofophy exemplified in the lives and actions of mankind, vide

The requifites mentioned by Cicero may be arranged under 4 heads, Truth, Subject, Order, and Style. We shall treat upon each of them feparately. or ofed profit to ngeh lagroningens SECTION HISTORICAL TRUTH!

TRUTH is the bafis, and foundation of all hifto ry. It is the very life and foul of it, by which it. is diftinguished from fable or romance. An hiftorian therefore ought not only to be a man of probity, but void of all paffion or bias. He must have. the fleadiness, of a philofopher, joined with the vivacity of a poet, or orator. Without the former, he will be infenfibly fwayed by fome paflion to give a falfe colouring to the actions or characters he defcribes, as favour or diflike to parties or per fons affects his mind; whereas he ought to be of no party, nor to have either friend or foe while writing; but to preferve himfelf in a state of the greateft, indifference to all, that he may judge of things as they really are in their own nature, and not as connected with this or that perfon or party. And with this firm and fedate temper, a lively imagination is requifite; without which his des fcriptions will be flat and cold, nor will he be able, to convey to his readers a juft and adequate idea, of great, and generous actions. Nor is the affift ance of a good judgment, lefs neceffary than any of the former qualities, to direct him what is proper to be faid and what to be omitted, and to treat every thing in a manner, fuitable to its importance. As thefe are the qualifications neceffary for an hift torian, it may feem the lefs ftrange that we have fo few good hiftories extant,

But hiftorical truth confifts of two parts; one is, Not to fay any thing we know to be falfe. Nor is it fufficient to excufe an hiftorian in rela ting a falfehood, that he did not know it to be fo when he wrote it, unless he firft ufed all the means: in his power to inform himself of the truth; for, undoubtedly, a voluntary falfehood is as unpar

donable in hiftory as in morality. But the generality of writers of this kind content themselves with taking their accounts from bearfay, or trans fcribing them from others, without duly weighing the evidence on which they are founded, or giving themfelves, the trouble of a strict inquiry, Few will use the diligence neceffary to inform themselves of the certainty of what they undertake to relate. And as the want of this greatly abates the pleasure of reading the works of fuch authors, while we read with diffidence; fo nothing more recommends an hiftorian than fuch induftry. Thus we are informed of Thucydides, that when he wrote his hiftory of the Peloponnesian war, he did not fatisfy himself with the beft accounts he could get from his countrymen the Athenians, fearing they might be partial in their own caufe; but spared no expenfe to inform himself how the fame facts were related by their enemies the Lacedemo nians; that, by comparing the relations of both parties, he might better judge of the truth. And Polybius took greater pains than he, in order to write his hiftory of the Roman affairs; for he tra velled into Africa, Spain, Gaul, and other parts of the world, that, by viewing the several scenes of action, and informing himself from the inhabit ants, he might come at a greater certainty of the facts, and reprefent them in a jufter light. But as a hiftorian ought not to affert what he knows to be falle fo he thould likewife be cautious in relating things which are doubtful, and acquaint! his readers with the evidence he goes upon in fuch! cafes, whence they may be able to judge how far it is proper to credit them. So Herodotus tells us what things he faw himself in his travels, and what he heard from the information of the Egyp tian priefts and others with whom he converfed. And Curtius, in his life of Alexander, speaking of the affairs of India, ingenuoufly confefles, that he wrote more than he fully believed. For (fays he) Ineither dare to affirm pofitively what I doubt of, nor can I think it proper to omit what I have been told.". By fuch a conduct the author fecurest his credit, whether the things prove really true or falfe; and gives room for farther inquiry, without impofing on his readers.

The other branch of hiftorical truth is, Not to omit any thing that is true, and neceflary to fet the matter treated, of in a clear and full light. In the actions of paft ages or diftant countries, wherein the writer has no perfonal concern, he can have no great inducement fo break in upon this rule. But where intereft or party is engaged, it requires no fmall candour, as well as firmnefs of mind, conftantly to adhere to it. Affection to fome, averfion to others, fear of difobliging friends or thofe in power, will often interpofe and try his integrity. Befides, an omiffion is lefs obnoxious to cenfure than a falfe affertion; for the one may be easily afcribed to ignorance or forgetfulness; whereas the other will, if difcovered, be commonly looked upon as defign. He, therefore, who in fuch circumftances, from a generous love to truth, is fuperior to all motives to betray or stifle it, juftly deferves the character of a good hiftorian, as well as an honeft man.

What Polybius fays upon this head is perfectly juft; "A good man ought to love his friends and

his country, and to have a like difpofition with them, both towards their friends and enemies. But when he takes upon him the character of an hiftorian they must all be forgot. He must often fpeak well of his enemies, and commend them when their actions deferve it; and fometimes blame, and even upbraid his greatest friends, when their conduct makes it neceffary. Nor muft he forbear fometimes to reprove, and at other times to commend, the fame perfons; fince all are liable to mistake in their management, and there are fcarce any perfons who are always in the wrong. Therefore, in history, all perfonal confiderations fhould be laid afide, and regard had only to their actions." What a different view of mankind and their actions fhould we have, were thefe rules obferved by all hiftorians?

Integrity is undoubtedly the principal qualification of an hiftorian; when we can depend upon this, other imperfections are more eafily paffed over. Suetonius is faid to have written the lives of the Cæfars with the fame freedom wherewith they themselves lived. What better character can be given of a writer? The fame ingenuous temper appears in Thucydides and Polybius: the former of whom, though banished by his countrymen the Athenians, yet expreffes no marks of refentment against them in his hiftory, either against them in general, or even against the chief authors of it, when he has occafion to mention them; and the latter does not forbear cenfuring what he thought blameable in his nearest relations and friends. But it is often no easy matter to know whether an biftorian peaks truth or not, and keeps up to the feveral characters here mentioned; though it feems reasonable, upon the common principles of juftice due to all mankind, to credit him where no marks of partiality or prejudice appear in his writings.

Sometimes, indeed, a judgment may be formed of the veracity of an author, from his manner of expreffing himself. A certain candour and franknefs, that is always uniform and confiftent, runs through their writings who have nothing in view but truth, which may be justly esteemed a very good evidence of their fincerity. Whereas thofe who have partial defigns to answer are commonly more close and covert; and if at other times they affume an air of openness and freedom, yet this is not conftant and uniform, but foon followed with the appearance of some bias and referve; for it is very difficult to act a part long together without lying open to a difcovery. And therefore, though craft and defign are exceeding various, and, Pro teus-like, affume very different fhapes, there are certain characters by which it may often be perceived and detected.

Thus, where things are uncertain because of their being reported various ways, it is partiality in an hiftorian to give the most unfavourable account, where others are as well known and equally credible. Again, it is a proof of the fame bad temper, when the facts themselves are certain and evident, but the defign and motives of those concerned in them are unknown and ob fcure, to affign fome ill principle, fuch as avarice, ambition, malice, intereft, or fome other vicious habit, as the caufe of them. This conduct is not

only unjust to the perfons whole actions they relate, but hurtful to mankind, by tending to deftroy one of the principal motives to virtue, example. Others, who affect to be more covert, content themselves with fufpicions and fly infinuations; and then endeavour to come off, by intimating their unwillingness to believe them, though they would have their readers do fo. And others, when they have loaded perfons with unjust calumnies and reflections, will allow them fome flight commendations, to make what they have faid before look more credible, and themselves lefs partial. But the honest and faithful hiftorian contemns all fuch mean arts; he confiders things as they are in themselves, and relates them as he finds them, without prejudice or partiality.

Some of our most celebrated modern historians, particularly Meffrs Hume, Voltaire, and Gibbon, have been accused of giving partial representations of facts, and of yielding to prejudice fo far as to fupprefs direct evidence on the other fide. The late lord Gardenstone, in his Remarks on Eminent Hiftorians, is peculiarly fevere on Mr Hume for this. See HUME, No. 1.

SECT. II. Of the SUBJECT of HISTORY.

By the SUBJECT of history we mean facts themfelves, together with fuch matters as are either connected with them, or may at leaft be requifite to fet them in a juft and proper light. But although the principal defign of hiftory be to record facts, yet all facts do not merit the regard of an hiftorian; but fuch only as may be thought of ufe in regulating the conduct of human life. Nor is it allowable for him, like the poet, to form the plan and scheme of his work as he pleafes. His bufinefs is to report things as he finds them, without any colouring or difguife to make them more pleafing and palatable to his reader, which would be to convert his history into a novel.

Some hiftories afford more entertainment than others, from the nature of the events which they record; and it may be efteemed the happiness of an hiftorian to meet with fuch a fubject, but it is not his fault if it be otherwife. Thus Herodotus begins his history with fhowing, that the barbarians gave the fire occafion to the wars between them and the Greeks, and ends it with an account of the punishment which, after some ages, they fuffered from the Greeks on that account. Such a relation must not only have been very agreeable to his countrymen the Grecians, for whofe fakes it was written; but likewise very inftructive, by informing them of the justice of Providence in punithing public injuries in this world, wherein focieties, as fuch, are only capable of punishment. And therefore thofe examples might be of use to caution them againft fimilar practices. On the other hand, Thucydides begins his hiftory with the unhappy ftate of his countrymen the Athenians; and in the course of it plainly intimates, that they were the cause of the calamitous war between them and the Lacedemonians: Whereas, had be been more inclined to please and gratify his countrymen than to write the truth, he might have fet things in fuch a light as to have made their enemies appear the aggreffors. But he fcorned to court applaufe at the expense of truth and juftice, and

has

has fet a noble example of integrity to all future hiftorians.

As all actions do not merit a place in hiftory, it requires no fmall judgment in an hiftorian to felect fuch only as are proper. Cicero obferves very justly, that hiftory" is converfant in great and memorable actions." For this reafon, an hiftorian fhould always keep pofterity in view; and relate nothing which may not, upon fome account or other, be worth the notice of after ages. To descend to trivial and minute matters, such as frequently occur in the common affairs of life, is below the dignity of hiftory. Such writers ought rather to be deemed journalists than hiftorians, who have no view or expectation that their works fhould furvive them. But the skilful hiftorian is fired with a more noble ambition. His defign is to acquaint fucceeding ages with what remarkable occurrences happened in the world before them; to do juftice to the memory of great and virtuous men, and at the fame time to perpetuate his own. Pliny the younger has fome fine reflections upon this head, in a letter to a friend. "You advise me (fays he) to write a hiftory; and not you only, for many others have done the fame, and I am myself inclined to it. Not that I believe myself qualified for it, which would be rash to think till I have tried it; but because I esteem it a generous action not to fuffer thofe to be forgotten, whofe memory ought to be eternized; and to perpetuate the names of others, together with one's own. For there is nothing I am so defirous or ambitious of, as to be remembered hereafter; which is a thing worthy of a man, especially of one who, confcious of no guilt, has nothing to fear from pofterity."

Such was Pliny's opinion with regard to the ufe and advantage of hiftory; the fubjects of which are generally matters of weight and importance. And therefore, when a prudent hif. torian thinks it convenient to take notice of things in themselves lefs confiderable, he either does it with brevity, or for fome apparent reason, such as their neceffary connection with affairs of more importance, or accounts for it by fome juft apology. So Dion Caffius, when he has mentioned fome things of lefs moment in the life of Commodus (as indeed that emperor's life was chiefly filled up with cruelty and folly), makes this excufe for himself: "I would not have it thought that I defcend below the gravity of hiftory in writing these things: for, as they were the actions of an emperor, and 1 was prefent and faw them all, and both heard and conversed with him, I did not think it proper to omit them." He feems to think thofe actions, when performed by an emperor, might be worth recording, which, if done by a perfon of inferior rank, would scarce have deferved notice. Nor does he appear to have judged amifs, if we confiden what an influence the conduct and behaviour of princes, even in the common circumftances of life, have upon all beneath them; which may fometimes render them not unworthy the regard of an hiftorian, as examples either for imitation or ab horrence.

But although facts in general are the proper fubject of hiftory, yet they may be differently

confidered with regard to the extent of them, as they relate either to particular perfons or communities of men. And from this confideration biftory has been distinguished into three forts, viz. biography, particular and general hiftory. Writing the lives of fingle perfons is called biography. By particular history is meant that of particular fates, whether for a fhorter or longer space of time. And general hiftory contains an account of feveral fates exifting together in the same period of time.

I. The fubjects of biography are the lives either of public or private perfons; for many obfervations useful in the conduct of human life may be made from just accounts of those who have been eminent and beneficial to the world in either ftation. Nay, the lives of vicious perfons are not without their ufe, as warnings to others, by observing the fatal confequences which sooner or later generally follow fuch practices. But, for those who exposed their lives, or otherwife employed their time and labour, for the service of their fellow creatures, it seems but a just debt that their memories fhould be perpetuated after them, and pofterity acquainted with their benefactors. The expectation of this was no small incentive to virtue in the pagan world. And perhaps every one, upon due reflection, will be convinced how natural this paffion is to mankind in general. For this reafon, Virgil places not only his heroes, but also the inventors of useful arts and sciences, and other persons of distinguished merit, in the ElyGian Fields. See Eneid. lib. vi. v. 66.

In the lives of public perfons, their public characters are principally, but not solely, to be regarded. The world is inquifitive to know the conduct of princes and other great men, as well in private as in public: and both, as has been faid, may be of fervice, confidering the influence of their examples. But to be too inqui fitive in fearching into the weaknesses and infirmities of the greatest or beft of men, is, to say no more of it, but a needlefs curiofity. Among writers of this kind, Plutarch is justly allowed to excel.

It has been much difputed among the learned, whether any one ought to write his own history. It may be pleaded in favour of this, that no one can be fo much master of the subject as the perfon himself: and befides, there are many inftances, both ancient and modern, to justify such a conduct. But, on the other hand, it must be owned, that there are many inconveniencies which attend it; fome of which are mentioned by Cicero. "If (fays he) there is any thing commendable, perfons are obliged to fpeak of themselves with greater modefty, and to omit what is blameable in others. Beides, what is faid is not fo foon credited, and has lefs authority; and after all, many will not ftick to cenfure it." Ad Fam. lib. v. Ep. 12. And Pliny fays to the fame purpofe, "Those who proclaim their own virtues, are thought not fo much to proclaim them because they did them, as to have done them that they might proclaim them. So that which would have appeared great if told by another, is loft when related by the party himself. For when

meu

men cannot deny the fact, they reflect upon the vanity of its author. Wherefore, if you do things not worth mentioning, the actions themfelves are blamed; and if the things you do are commendable, you are blamed for mentioning them." Lib. viii. Ep. 1. These reflections will be generally allowed to be very juft; and yet, confidering how natural it is for men to love themselves, and to be inclined in their own favour, it seems to be a very difficult task for any one to write an impartial hiftory of his own actions. There is fcarce any treatife of this kind that is more celebrated than Cæfar's Commen taries. And yet Suetonius tells us, that "Afinius Pollio (who lived at that time) thought they were neither written with due care nor integrity: that Cæfar was often too credulous in his accounts of what was done by other perfons; and mifrepresented his own actions, either defignedly, or through forgetfulness: and therefore he fupposes he would have revised and corrected them." Sometimes, however, it may doubtlefs be juftifiable for a person to be his own hiftorian. Plutarch mentions two cafes wherein it is allow able for a man to commend himself, and be the publisher of his own merits. Thefe are, when the doing of it may be of confiderable advantage either to himself or others. It is indeed lefs invidious for other perfons to undertake the province; and especially for a perfon to talk or write of his own virtues, at a time when vice and a general corruption of manners prevails, let what he fays be ever so true, it will be apt at leaft to be taken as a reflection upon others. "Anciently (fays Tacitus) many wrote their own lives, rather as a teftimony of their conduct than from pride." Upon which he makes this judicious remark: "That the more virtue abounds, the fooner the reports of it are credited." But the ancient writers had a way of taking off the reader's attention from themfelves in recording their own actions, and fo rendering what they faid lefs invidious: and that was, by speaking of themselves in the third perfon, and not in the firft. Thus Cæfar never fays, "I did," or, I faid, this or that:" but always Cafar did, or faid, fo and fo." Why the moderns have not more chofen to follow them in this, we know not, fince it feems less exceptionable.

66

II. In a continued hi@ory of PARTICULAR STATES, fome account may be given of their original and founders; the nature of their foil and fituation; what advantages they have for their fupport or improvement, either within themselves, by foreign traffic, or conquefts; with the form of their government. Then notice fhould be taken of the methods by which they increased in wealth or power, till they gradually advanced to their highest pitch of grandeur; whether by their virtue, the goodness of their conftitution, trade, induftry, wars, or whatever cause. After this the reafons of their declen. fions fhould be fewn; what were the vices that principally occafioned it (for that is generally the cafe); whether avarice, ambition, luxury, difcord, cruelty, or feveral of these in conjunction.

And laftly, where that has been their unhappy fate, how they received their final ruin and fubverfion. Most of these things Livy had in view, when he wrote his hiftory of the Roman State, as he acquaints his readers in the preface." The accounts (fays he) of what happened either before or while the city was building, confisting rather of poetical fables than any certain records of facts, 1 shall neither affert nor confute them. Let antiquity be allowed to make the origin of all their cities more venerable, by uniting things human and divine. But if any nation may be fuffered to fetch their origin from the gods, fuch is the military glory of the Romans, that when they reprefented Mars as the father of their founder, other nations may as eafily acquiefce in this as they do in their government. But I lay no great ftrefs upon these things, and others of the like nature, whatever may be thought of them. What I am defirous every one fhould carefully attend to, are our lives and manners: by what men, and what arts, civil and military, the empire was both acquired and enlarged: then let him observe, how our manners gradually declined with our discipline; afterwards grew worse and worse; and at length fo far degenerated, that at present we can neither bear with our vices, nor suffer them to be remedied. This is the chief benefit and advantage to be reaped from history, to fetch inftruction from eminent examples of both kinds; in order to imitate the one, which will be of ufe both to yourself and your country, and avoid the other, which are equally bafe in their rife and event." How well Livy has executed this defign, must be acknowledged by all who have perufed his work.

Of the fame na

III. As a particular history confifts in a number of facts relating to the fame ftate, properly connected together, fo a GENERAL HISTORY is made up of feveral particular hiftories, whose feparate tranfactions within the fame period of time, or part of it, fhould be fo diftinctly related as to caufe no confufion. Such was the history of Diodorus Siculus, which contained an account of most of the eminent ftates and kingdoms in the world, though far the greatest part of it is now unhappily loft. ture is the hiftory of Herodotus, though not fo extenfive; to whom we are especially indebted for the Perfian affairs. And to this kind may likewife be referred Juftin's hiftory, though it be only the epitome of a larger work written by another hand. The rules proper for conducting fuch hiftories are much the fame as thofe above mentioned concerning particular hiftories; excepting what relates to the order, of which afterwards.":"

The Riftories, both of particular ftates and thofe which are more general, frequently contain only the affairs of fomé fhort period of time. Thus the hiftory of the Peloponnefian war, written by Thucydides, comprifed only what was done in the firft 20 years of that war, which lafted 7 years longer than his account reaches; the reafon of which might be, because Thucydides died before the war was finished, otherwife he would probably have continued his hiftory to the conclusion of

it