guided too regularly by political interest. But although some objections may be made to these authors, they deserve, upon the whole, to be placed in the first rank of modern historical writers The wars of Flanders, written in Latin by Famianus Strada, is a book of some note; but is not entitled to the same reputation as the works of the other historians I have named. Strada is too violently partial to the Spanish c use; and too open a panegyrist of the Prince of Parma. He is florid, diffuse, and an affected imitator of the manner and style of Livy.

Among the French, as there has been much good writing in many kinds, so also in the historical. That ingenious nation who have done so much honour to modern literature, possess, in an eminent degree, the talent of narration. Many of their later historical writers are spirited, lively, and agreeable; and some of them not deficient in profoundness and penetration. They have not, however, produced any such capital historians as the Italians, whom I mentioned above.

Our island, till within these few years, was not eminent for its historical productions. Early, indeed, Scotland made some figure by means of the celebrated Buchanan. He is an elegant writer, classical in his Latinity, and agreeable both in narration and description. But one cannot but suspect him to be more attentive to elegance than to accuracy. Accustomed to form his political notions wholly upon the plans of ancient governments, the feudal system seems never to have entered into his thoughts; and as this was the basis of the Scottish constitution, his political views are, of course, inaccurate and imperfect. When he comes to the transactions of his own times, there is such a change in his manner of writing, and such an asperity in his style, that, on what side soever the truth lies with regard to those dubious and long controverted facts which make the subject of that part of his work, it is impossible to clear him from being deeply tinctured with the spirit of party.

Among the older English historians, the most considerable is Lord Clarendon. Though he writes as the professed apologist of one side, yet there appears more impartiality in his relation of facts, than might at first be expected. A great spirit of virtue and probity runs through his work. He maintains all the dignity of an historian. His sentences, indeed, are often too long, and his general manner is prolix; but his style, on the whole, is manly; and his merit, as an historian, is much beyond mediocrity. Bishop Burnet is lively and perspicuous; but he has hardly any other historical merit. His style is too careless and familiar for history; his characters are, indeed, marked with a bold and strong hand; but they are generally light and satirical; and he abounds so much in little stories concerning himself, that he resembles more a writer of memoirs than of history. During a long period, English historical authors seemed to aim at nothing higher than an exact relation of facts; till of late the distinguished names of Hume, Robertson, and Gibbon, have raised

the British character, in this species of writing, to high reputation and dignity.

I observed, in the preceding lecture, that annals, memoirs, and lives, are the inferior kinds of historical composition. It will be proper, before dismissing this subject, to make a few observations upon them. Annals are commonly understood to signify a collection of facts, digested according to chronological order; rather serving for the materials of history, than aspiring to the name of history themselves. All that is required, therefore, in a writer of such annals, is to be faithful, distinct, and complete.

Memoirs denote a sort of composition, in which an author does not pretend to give full information of all the facts respecting the period of which he writes, but only to relate what he himself had access to know, or what he was concerned in, or what illustrates the conduct of some person, or the circumstances of some transaction, which he chooses for his subject. From a writer of memoirs, therefore, is not expected the same profound research, or enlarged information, as from a writer of history. He is not subject to the same laws of unvarying dignity and gravity. He may talk freely of himself; he may descend into the most familiar anecdotes. What is chiefly required of him is, that he be sprightly and interesting; and especially, that he inform us of things that are useful and curious; that he convey to us some sort of knowledge worth the acquiring. This is a species of writing very witching to such as love to write concerning themselves, and conceive every transaction, in which they had a share, to be of singular importance. There is no wonder, therefore, that a nation so sprightly as the French, should, for two centuries past, have been pouring forth a whole flood of memoirs; the greatest part of which are little more than agreeable trifles.

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Some, however, must be excepted from this general character: two in particular; the memoirs of the Cardinal de Retz, and those of the Duke of Sully. From Retz's Memoirs, besides the pleasure of agreeable and lively narration, we may derive also instruction, and much knowledge of human nature. Though his politics be often too fine spun, yet the memoirs of a professed factious leader, such as the Cardinal was, wherein he draws both his own character, and that of several great personages of his time, so fully, cannot be read by any person of good sense without benefit. The Memoirs of the Duke of Sully, in the state in which they are now given to the public, have great merit, and deserve to be mentioned with particular praise. No memoirs approach more nearly to the usefulness and the dignity of full legitimate history. They have this peculiar advantage, of giving us a beautiful display of two of the most illustrious characters which history presents; Sully himself, one of the ablest and most incorrupt ministers, and Henry IV. one of the greatest and most amiable princes of modern times. I know few books more full of virtue, and of good sense, than Sully's Memoirs; few, therefore, more proper to form both

the heads and the hearts of such as are designed for public business, and action, in the world.

Biography, or the writing of lives, is a very useful kind of composition, less formal and stately than history; but to the bulk of readers, perhaps, no less instructive, as it affords them the opportunity of seeing the characters and tempers, the virtues and failings of eminent men fully displayed; and admits them into a more thorough and intimate acquaintance with such persons, than history generally allows; for a writer of lives may descend, with propriety, to minute circumstances, and familiar incidents. It is expected of him, that he is to give the private, as well as the public life, of the person whose actions he records; nay, it is from private life, from familiar, domestic, and seemingly trivial occurrences, that we often receive most light into the real character. In this species of writing, Plutarch has no small merit; and to him we stand indebted for much of the knowledge that we possess, concerning several of the most eminent personages of antiquity. His matter is, indeed, better than his manner; as he cannot lay claim to any peculiar beauty or elegance. His judgment too, and his accuracy, have sometimes been taxed: but whatever defects of this kind he may be liable to, his Lives of Eminent Men will always be considered as a valuable treasure of instruction. He is remarkable for being one of the most humane writers of all antiquity; less dazzled than many of them are, with the exploits of valour and ambition; and fond of displaying his great men to us, in the more gentle lights of retirement and private life.

I cannot conclude the subject of history, without taking notice of a very great improvement which has, of late years, begun to be introduced into historical composition; I mean a more particular attention than was formerly given to laws, customs, commerce, religion, literature, and every other thing that tends to show the spirit and genius of nations. It is now understood to be the business of an able historian to exhibit manners, as well as facts and events; and assuredly, whatever displays the state and life of mankind, in different periods, and illustrates the progress of the human mind, is more useful and interesting than the detail of sieges and battles. The person to whom we are most indebted for the introduction of this improvement into history, is the celebrated M. Voltaire, whose genius has shone with such surprising lustre, in so many different parts of literature. His age of Louis XIV. was one of the first great productions in this taste; and soon drew throughout all Europe, that general attention, and received that high approbation, which so ingenious and eloquent a production merited. His essay on the general history of Europe, since the days of Charlemagne, is not to be considered either as a history, or the proper plan of an histori cal work; but only as a series of observations on the chief events that have happened throughout several centuries, and on the changes that successively took place in the spirit and manners of different nations. Though, in some dates and facts, it may, perhaps, be inaccurate, and is tinged with those particularities, which unhappily

distinguish Voltaire's manner of thinking on religious subjects, yet it contains so many enlarged and instructive views, as justly to merit the attention of all who either read or write the history of those ages.

QUESTIONS.

TOWARDS the close of the last lec-, talent has this historian? To consider ture, on what subject did our author what, do we next proceed? Why does enter? What is the general idea of much depend on the manner of narrahistory? Hence, arise what? What tion? How may we be convinced of was principally considered, in the last the truth of this remark? What is the lecture? To observe what does our au- first virtue of historical narration? To thor next proceed? To do this, what attain this, what is requisite ; and why? two things are especially necessary? Without this, what can we not expect? Why is the former necessary, and why For this end, on the observance of what the latter? To form what, must both will much depend; and on what, also, concur? With regard to political know- will much depend? What is the highledge, what is observed? In ancient est test of the abilities of an historian? times, what was the state of the world? What is the next requisite in historical What influence did this exert over the narration? What must not appear in knowledge and materials of the ancient it; and why? What does our author historians? And what is also to be ob- not say? Why may he sometimes do served? Hence, to what are they less this with propriety? But of what should attentive? What remark follows? To he be careful; and what remark folthese reasons, what is owing? How is lows? If a historian possesses these this remark illustrated from the Greek qualities, and is still a dull writer, what historians, from Livy, and from Sallust? will be the consequence? What must Of what does our author not mean to he therefore study; and of it, what is censure all the ancient historians? observed? What two things especially Illustrate this remark from Thucydides, conduce to this? What is the effect of Polybius, and Tacitus. But when we the former; and of the latter? What demand from the historian profound must an historian that would interest and instructive views of his subject, us, do? What is the next thing to be what is not meant? What information attended to? Of general facts, what is should he give us; and with what observed? By means of what, does a should he make us acquainted? Where narration become interesting and affectshould he place us? But having puting to the reader? What is the effect into our hands the proper materials for of these; and what is it properly termjudgment, of what should he not be ed? In all these virtues of narration, too prodigal; and why? By what who eminently excel; and hence, what should history instruct us? On what follows? Of Herodotus, what is here occasions may the narrative be allowed observed? Though the manner of Thuto stand still for a little? On such oc- cydides be more dry and harsh, yet, on casions, what may the historian do; but what occasions does he display a very of what must he be careful? When ob- strong and masterly power of descripservations are to be made concerning tion? Of Xenophon's Cyropædia, and human nature in general, on the pe- his Anabasis, what is observed; but culiarities of particular characters, what is a much inferior work? What is what is remarked? What is the first here remarked of Sallust? And of Livy, instance given to illustrate this remark; what is observed? What instance is and of it, what is observed? What given? What are the particulars? Reother thought, in the same historian, peat the passage which then follows, as has a finer effect; and of it, what is re- it is here introduced. Of the rest of the marked? What other instance of the story, what is observed?

same kind have we? Into what gene- What is observed of Tacitus; and ral observation, was there room for how do his descriptions compare with turning this remark? But of the man- those of Livy? What course does he ner in which Tacitus introduces it, pursue? What example is given; and what is observed? What particular of it, what is remarked? Throughout

all of his works, what does he show? Flanders, by Famianus Strada, and of How is this remark illustrated? How Strada himself, what is observed? Of does he paint; and what does he, be- the French, and of their later historical yond all writers, possess? With many writers, what is observed? What, of the most distinguished beauties, however, have they not done? What however, what is further observed of is remarked of Great Britain? By him? What embellishment did the an- means of whom did Scotland early cients employ, which the moderns have make some figure; and of him, what laid aside? By means of these, what is observed? Why are his political did they do? Who was the first who views inaccurate and imperfect? What introduced this method? Of the orations is said of the manner in which he rewith which his history abounds, and of cords the transactions of his own times? those of some other Greek and Latin What is observed of Lord Clarendon ? historians, what is observed? What, What is the character of Bishop Burhowever, may be much questioned ? net, as an historical writer? During a Why does our author think they are long period, at what only did English unsuitable to it? Of these orations, authors seem to aim? What is said of what do we know? Of this sort of po- Hume, Robertson, and Gibbon? What etical liberty, what is observed? How was observed in a preceding lecture? is this illustrated? Instead of inserting What are annals commonly understood formal orations, what method has been to signify? What, therefore, is all that adopted by later writers? Of the draw-is required in a writer of annals? What ing of characters, what is observed; sort of composition do memoirs denote? and why? What does he bring to- What, therefore, is not expected from a gether? What are the requisites of the writer of memoirs? What is chiefly rewriter who would characterize in an quired of him? Of this species of wiinstructive and masterly manner? ting, what is observed? About what, What is here said of the Greek histo- therefore, is there no wonder? What rians; and of Sallust and Tacitus? two must be excepted from this general Why should sound morality reign in character? Of the former, what is obhistory? In what should the author al- served? What is observed of the Meways show himself to be on the side of moirs of the Duke of Sully? What pe virtue? What falls not within his pro- culiar advantage have they? Of Bivince; but, what do we expect from ography, or the writing of lives, what him? What derogate greatly from the is observed? To what may a writer of weight of historical composition; and lives descend? What is expected of what additional effect will they have? him; and why? In this species of wriWhen are we most interested in the ting, who has no small merit, and what transactions which are going on? But is observed of him? For what is he reby whom cannot this effect be pro-markable? Without noticing what, duced? As the observations hitherto cannot our author close the subject of made have mostly respected the an- history? What is now understood to cient historians, what may naturally be be the business of an able historian; expected? Where has historical ge- and what remark follows? To whom nius, in later ages, shone forth with are we most indebted for this improvemost lustre? From what does it appear ment; and what is said of him? What that the natural character of the Ital- was one of the first great works in this ians favours it? Accordingly, what fol- taste, and what was its effect? What is lowed; and of them, what is observed? observed of his essay on the general In their manner of narration, upon history of Europe, since the days of whom are they formed; and of some of Charlemagne ? them, what is remarked? In what may they be esteemed to have surpassed the ancients? But what have critics, 1. Historical writing. at the same time, observed? Of Machiavel, what is remarked? With what is Guicciardin taxed? What is observed of Bentivoglio, and of Davila? What remark follows? Of the wars of

ANALYSIS.

A. Actions and events to be traced to their springs.

a. An aquaintance with human nature. b. Political knowledge.

B. The proper qualities of historical nar

ration.