PART IV.

I. FRAGMENTS OF A DISCOURSE ON HISTORY, ILLUSTRATED FROM LORD CLARENDON'S HISTORY OF THE REBELLION.

II. THOUGHTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS:

1. THEOLOGICAL.

2. CRITICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.

FRAGMENTS OF A DISCOURSE ON HISTORY,

ILLUSTRATED FROM THAT OF LORD CLARENDON.

I design this discourse for a short Essay upon History, and shall illustrate the common rules of it by examples drawn from the Lord Clarendon's incomparable History of the Rebellion, which will help to explain very many of the rules, expose the falseness of others, and give me the opportunity of attempting, the first, a Critique of that wonderful performance. The Histories of Greece and Rome have been the common theme of almost all writers, while this of our own, superior to the best of theirs (as I doubt not to make appear), has been only admired in the gross, without any particular examination.

The three great requisites in an historian are: 1. A perfect knowledge of the facts he represents; 2. Honesty in representing them truly; and, 3. Abilities to represent them advantageously. We shall consider this noble writer in these three views, and shew how greatly he excelled in each.

Few things in the English tongue before this last age, were worthy any criticism. But it can now boast of productions equal to Greece or Rome; and why they do not deserve the same notice, I see

no reason.

A great genius lately deceased led the

way, of whom it may

be truly said,

quem tu, Dea, tempore in omni

Omnibus, &c.

As it would be the highest presumption to attempt to equal him, so it would be the greatest folly not to endeavour to imitate him.

The order of time in an history may be well transgressed, nay, ought to be so, to preserve the narrations entire. A remarkable instance of this conduct is in Tacitus' History, where he defers to speak of the German tumults, which happened to be hot during the Civil Wars of Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian; till he had dispatched the Civil Wars, and then treats of them without interruption through the greater part of the fourth Book.

An historian who writes of past ages ought not implicitly to sit down with the reasons former writers give for things, but examine them, and prove their truth or falsehood. An instance of this in Tacitus. He tells us the generality of writers that went before him ascribed Tiberius's departure from the city to the wiles of Sejanus. Now this accurate writer doubts this; for this very good reason, because he staid there after his death. -Now this distinguishes an historian from a mere compiler.

When

brought in the Bill against

Sic in MS.

Episcopacy, the historian telling you he did it chiefly for the sake of applying that verse of Ovid.*

lets you into his character as well as a whole page could have done on that subject.

"He

The character of a finished courtier is touched with the utmost art in this part of E. H. took all the ways he could to endear himself to the Duke (the reigning favourite) and to his confidence, and wisely declined the receiving any grace or favour, but as his donation," &c.

What strength, what boldness of colouring is there in this portraiture of L. C.: "His cardinal perfection was industry, and his most eminent infirmity covetousness."

The beauties of great characters of the ancients consist chiefly in the agreeable surprise of the turn: 'tis antithesis and contrast. Many of Clarendon's are more natural and consequently more successful, as they let us better into his character: 'tis some peculiarity of humour, &c. The same reason that furnishes our state with such variety of characters above any other nation, makes our historian superior to any other in this article.

C. by telling us the Earl of Arundel affected

* Sic in MS.

U