of commerce, and the progress of arts, sciences, or literature. This active curiosity of man may. be gratified in many different ways; but no gratification can ever satisfy it. The traveller, who goes to view a strange country, on ascending every eminence, amuses his mind in the expectation of the prospect he shall enjoy from the summit; but, on gaining his point, his curiosity is so far from being extinguished by gratification, that it operates with redoubled force, and excites his desires to contemplate the prospects which lie beyond his view; and which, he expects, will yet diversify the scene, and amuse him in his farther progress. In like manner, the man of a cultivated understanding, while he investigates the wonders of art, or the phenomena of nature, finds his curiosity continually excited by new objects; and the village gossip, who turns her thoughts to nothing farther than the domestic concerns of her neighbours, finds her curiosity as strongly and incessantly excited by the whispers of scandal, and the trifling concerns of the neighbourhood, as does the philosopher who directs his attention to the most important and interesting phenomena of the physical, moral, or intellectual world.

Since then curiosity is a passion inherent in the human mind, in every situation, from the gilded palace to the mud-walled cottage, and operates with incessant activity upon every degree of the human understanding, it is an object of great

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utility and importance, in the right ordering of the mind, to direct the operation of so active a quality to such subjects of enquiry as may be conducive to real improvement, and lead us to the knowledge of mankind, that vast society, of which every individual is a member. To acquire this knowledge, we must have recourse to reading. The mind is nourished, improved, and carried forward to the perfection of its nature, by reading and instruction. The human understanding is a blank, which may be filled up with various kinds of matter; and whatever degree of genius a man may naturally possess, he must be indebted to reading and reflection for his subsequent improvement. For want of this, many Platos, Aristotles, and Ciceros, many Lockes and Newtons, are following the plough.

Reading and Conversation are the two great vehicles of information; but unless the former be cultivated, the latter will be uninstructive. The man who has not improved his mind by reading, will not be able to instruct in conversation, or to derive much instruction by that channel. It has been often, and justly remarked, that reading alone is not sufficient to give a complete knowledge of mankind. In allowing the justness of this observation, we must, however, consider that reading is the basis of all intellectual acquirements, and instructs us in the theory, as the incidents of real life and conversation with man teach us the practical part of what is called the knowledge of the world, or of mankind.

In order to attain this kind of knowledge, history is more requisite than any other kind of reading, and beyond comparison more effectually conducive to that end. Books are composed to suit the capacities and inclinations of every description of readers; but we may, without hesitation, give the preference to historical, as a vehicle of general information, when the term is understood in the full extent of its signification; for, as Cicero says, our education begins at the cradle, and ends only at the grave, comprehending the various kinds of information which the mind imbibes through life, by all the means of acquiring knowledge; so we may include, under the general denomination of history, every kind of knowledge we receive relative to matter of fact; and facts are the only means we possess of investigating the motives of human conduct, and of acquiring a knowledge of mankind.

Poetry is adapted to amuse the fancy, to exalt the imagination, and to move the passions, rather than to inform the understanding. The poet creates, in his own mind, and endeavours to form in the mind of his readers, an ideal world, often very different from the real world. His characters and descriptions are fictitious. And romance, like poetry, is only an effusion of the imagination. It paints, in glowing colours, the performances, the sufferings, or the successes of imaginary heroes. History, on the contrary, relates the actions of men who have really existed,

and shews what they have suffered, and what they have done. Romance describes men such' as they might, or ought to have been: History represents them such as they really are, or have been. The former, like poetry, paints from fancy; the latter draws from nature.

History is the exhibition of man, the display of human life, and the foundation of general knowledge. It expands the ideas, enlarges the mind, and eradicates those narrow and illiberal prejudices which dim and corrupt the understanding. By developing the causes which influence and direct the opinions and conduct of men, in different ages, in different countries, in different situations of life, and under different political and religious establishments, it tends to inspire liberality of sentiment with a spirit of toleration and universal benevolence.

While we contemplate the various phenomena of the moral world, and the infinitely diversified and complicated scenes of human action, history exhibits, in successive order, as in a moving picture, all the generations of men. It displays the effects of political and religious systems, on nations and on individuals, and shews the rise and fall of empires, kingdoms, and states, with the causes of their prosperity and decline. In perusing the history of nations, we have an opportunity of investigating the circumstances which gave rise to their existence, procured their ag

grandizement, precipitated them from their elevation, or effected their final subversion. Unhappily the annals of every country develope such a tissue of fraud and violence, such a series of wars, battles, treasons, and stratagems, that some have denominated history a catalogue of the crimes and miseries of mankind. These things, however, are not unworthy of attention, as they shew in what manner the human passions operate in different situations and circumstances of life, and the consequences of their operation, the extreme instability of all sublunary things, and the uncertain nature of all human expectation; but they are far from constituting the most pleasing or valuable part of historical information. The most rational entertainment, as well as the most solid instruction, afforded by the study of history, arises from the opportunity it gives of contemplating the gradual improvement of the human mind, the origin, progress, and influence of arts and sciences, literature and commerce, of systems and opinions, the general state of mankind in different ages, and in different countries, and the progressive advancement of man, from a savage life in woods and wildernesses, to the highest pitch of learning and civilization, displayed in cities, colleges, courts, and senates. These are subjects. which furnish an inexhaustible fund of rational entertainment and interesting information to an enquiring and philosophical mind; and, on this account, every reader of history ought, in a particular manner, to remark those important events