It is obferved, that our nation, which has produced fo many authors eminent for almost every other fpecies of literary excellence, has been hitherto remarkably barren of historical genius; and fo far has this defect raised prejudices against us, that fome have doubted whether an Englishman can stop at that mediocrity of style, or confine his mind to that even tenour of imagination which narrative requires.

They who can believe that nature has fo capriciously distributed understanding, have surely no claim to the honour of ferious confutation. The inhabitants of the fame country have opposite characters in different ages; the prevalence or neglect of any particular study can proceed only from the accidental influence of some temporary cause; and if we have failed in history, we can have failed only because history has not hitherto been diligently cultivated.

But how is it evident, that we have not historians among us, whom we may venture to place in comparison with any that the neighbouring nations can produce? The attempt of Raleigh is defervedly celebrated for the labour of his researches, and the elegance of his style; but he has endeavoured to exert his judgment more than his genius, to felect facts, rather than adorn them; and has produced an historical differtation, but feldom risen to the majesty of history.

The works of Clarendon deferve more regard. His diction is indeed neither exact in itself, nor fuited to the purpose of history. It is the effufion of a mind crowded with ideas, and defirous of imparting them; and therefore always accumulating words, and in

volving

volving one claufe and fentence in another. But there is in his negligence a rude inartificial majesty, which, without the nicety of laboured elegance, fwells the mind by its plenitude and diffufion. His narration is not perhaps fufficiently rapid, being stopped too frequently by particularities, which, though they might strike the author who was prefent at the transactions, will not equally detain the attention of posterity. But his ignorance or careleffness of the art of writing are amply compensated by his knowledge of nature and of policy; the wifdom of his maxims, the juftness of his reasonings, and the variety, distinctness, and strength of his characters.

But none of our writers can, in my opinion, justly conteft the fuperiority of Knolles, who, in his history of the Turks, has displayed all the excellencies that narration can admit. His ftyle, though somewhat obfcured by time, and sometimes vitiated by falfe wit, is pure, nervous, elevated, and clear. A wonderful multiplicity of events is fo artfully arranged, and fo diftinctly explained, that each facili tates the knowledge of the next. Whenever a new perfonage is introduced the reader is prepared by his character for his actions; when a nation is first attacked, or city befieged, he is made acquainted with its history, or fituation; fo that a great part of the world is brought into view. The defcriptions of this author are without minutenefs, and the digreffions without oftentation. Collateral events are fo artfully woven into the contexture of his principal ftory, that they cannot be disjoined without leaving it lacerated and broken. There is nothing turgid

1

in his dignity, nor fuperfluous in his copiousness. His orations only, which he feigns, like the ancient historians, to have been pronounced on remarkable occafions, are tedious and languid; and fince they are merely the voluntary sports of imagination, prove how much the most judicious and skilful may be mistaken, in the estimate of their own powers.

Nothing could have funk this author in obfcurity, but the remoteness and barbarity of the people, whose story he relates. It feldom happens, that all circumstances concur to happiness or fame. The nation which produced this great historian, has the grief of feeing his genius employed upon a foreign. and uninterefting fubject; and that writer who might have fecured perpetuity to his name, by a history of his own country, has expofed himself to the danger of oblivion, by recounting enterprises and revolutions, of which none defire to be informed.

NUMB. 123. TUESDAY, May 21, 1751.

Quo femel eft imbuta recens, fervabit odorem
Tefta diu.

What feafon'd firft the veffel, keeps the taste.

HOR.

CREECH.

To the RAMBLER.

SIR,

TH

HOUGH I have fo long found myself de luded by projects of honour and diftinction, that I often refolve to admit them no more into my heart; yet how determinately foever excluded, they always recover their dominion by force or ftratagem; and whenever, after the shortest relaxation of vigilance, reafon and caution return to their charge, they find hope again in poffeffion, with all her train of pleasures dancing about her.

Even while I am preparing to write a history of disappointed expectations, I cannot forbear to flatter myself, that you and your readers are impatient for my performance; and that the fons of learning have laid down feveral of your late papers with discontent, when they found that Myfocapelus had delayed to con

tinue his narrative.

But the defire of gratifying the expectations that I have raised, is not the only motive of this relation, which, having once promised it, I think myself no longer at liberty to forbear. For however I may have wished to clear myself from every other adhe

fion of trade, I hope I fhall be always wife enough to retain my punctuality, and amidst all my new arts of politeness, continue to defpife negligence, and deteft falfehood.

When the death of my brother had difmiffed me from the duties of a shop, I confidered myself as reftored to the rights of my birth, and entitled to the rank and reception which my ancestors obtained. I was, however, embarraffed with many difficulties at my first re-entrance into the world; for my hafte to be a gentleman inclined me to precipitate measures; and every accident that forced me back towards my old ftation, was confidered by me as an obftruction of my happiness.

It was with no common grief and indignation, that I found my former companions ftill daring to claim my notice, and the journeymen and apprentices fometimes pulling me by the fleeve as I was walking in the street, and without any terrour of my new fword, which was, notwithstanding, of an uncommon fize, inviting me to partake of a bottle at the old house, and entertaining me with histories of the girls in the neighbourhood. I had always, in my officinal state, been kept in awe by lace and embroidery; and imagined that to fright away these unwelcome familiarities, nothing was neceffary, but that I fhould, by fplendour of dress, proclaim my reunion with a higher rank. I therefore fent for my taylor; ordered a fuit with twice the ufual quantity of lace; and that I might not let my perfecutors increase their confidence, by the habit of accofting me, ftaid at home till it was made.