nefs of judgment, as others obtain only by experience. We thus by anticipation are converfant with the bufy fcenes of the world; by revolving the lives of fages and heroes, we exercife our virtues in a review, and prepare them for approach-ing action. We learn the motives, the opinions, and the paffions of the men who have lived before us; and the fruit of that study is a more perfect knowledge of ourfelves, and a correction of our failings by their examples. At the fame time we form thofe general principles of conduct which muft neceffarily be true and commendable, because they are founded upon the immutable decrees of right reason, and are fanctioned by the uniform authority and practice of the wife and good of all ages.

Our own experience is imperfect, but the examples of ancient times are complete. Actual obfervation gives only a partial knowledge of mankind; great events and important tranfactions open very flowly upon us; and the fhortnefs of human life enables us only to fee detached parts of them. We are not placed at a proper diftance to judge rightly of their real nature and magnitude. Hurried on by our paffions, and mifled by intereft and prejudice, we view the affairs of the prefent times through an obfcure and a partial medium, and frequently form very wrong opinions of them. On the contrary, the examples of hiftory are diftinct and clear, they are prefented to us at full length, and we can contemplate them in their

origin,

origin, progrefs, and termination. We confider them at our leifure, and decide upon the actions of those, who are removed by time to a great diftance from us, with a cool and difpaffionate judg

ment.

Experience and the knowledge of hiftory reflect mutual light, and afford mutual affistance. Without the former, no one can act with addrefs and dexterity. Without the latter, no one can add to the natural refources of his own mind a knowledge of thofe precepts and examples, which have tended to form the character and promote the glory of eminent men. Scipio Africanus employed many of his leisure hours in reading the works of Xenophon; and the Commentaries of Cæfar improved the military talents of the illuftrious Prince Eugene of Savoy.

Nor are we without examples in our own country of the advantage refulting from this kind of knowledge. General Wolfe was a man of education as well as military genius. He was once fhewing fome officers how expert his men were at a new mode of attacking and retreating upon hills, and afked one of them, after the performance, what he thought of it. "I think, faid he, I fee fomething here of the practice of the Carduchi, who haraffed Xenophon when he commanded the ten thousand Greeks, and hung upon his rear in his retreat over the mountains. are right, faid General Wolfe, I took the hint from thence, and I fee you are a man of reading; but

You

our

our friends there are furprifed at what I have shewn them, becaufe they have read nothing."

Hiftory contributes to diveft us of many unreafonable prejudices, by enlarging our acquaintance with the world. It fets us at liberty from that blind partiality to our native country, which is the fure mark of a contracted mind, when due merit is not allowed to any other. It may be ferviceable either as the affiftant of Foreign Travel, or as its fubftitute, by removing an averfion to nations and inftitutions different from our own. It rectifies our opinions with refpect to ancient and modern times, and thus enables us to form a juft eftimate of mankind in all countries as well as in all ages.

This ftudy likewife tends to ftrengthen our abhorrence of vice; and creates a relifh for true greatness, and folid glory. We fee the hero and the philofopher reprefented in their proper colours;

f Rev. W. Jones's Works, vol. xi. And verilie they bee feweft in number, that bee happie or wife by unlearned experience. And looke well upon the former life of thofe fewe, whether your example be old or young, who without learning have gathered, by long experience, a little wifdome and fome happiness; and when you doe confider what mifchiefe they have committed, what daungers they have efcaped, (and twentie for one doe perith in the adventure) then think well with yourfelfe, whether ye would, that your own fonne should cum to wifdome and happiness by the way of fuch experience. ASCHAM's Schoolmafter.

or no.

and

and as magnanimity, honour, integrity, and generofity, when difplayed in illuftrious inftances, naturally make a favourable impreffion on our minds, our attachment to them is gradually formed. The fire of virtuous emulation is lighted, and we long to practife what we have been taught to approve.

Hiftory likewife is the foundation, upon which is built the true fcience of government. It is the proper fchool for princes, politicians, and legiflators. They need not have recourfe for inftruction to the Republic of Plato, the Utopia of More, or the Oceana of Harrington. In their deliberations upon state affairs they can form no safer plans for the guidance of their conduct, than from the contemplation of facts. In the records of various states they may obferve by what means national happiness has been fuccefsfully purfued, and public liberty has been firmly established: in what manner laws have anfwered the ends of their inftitution in the reformation of manners, and the advancement of the general good; and thence they may draw fuch conclufions as may be most advantageous in the regulation of the affairs of their own Country 8,

Hoc illud eft præcipue in cognitione rerum falubre ac frugiferum, omnis te exempli documenta in inluftri pofita monumento intueri; inde tibi tuæque reipublicæ quod imitere, capias; inde fœdum inceptu, fædam exitu, quod vites: Livin PREFATIO.

In the volumes of hiftory likewife we see the moft deceitful and crafty men ftripped of the difguife of artifice and diffimulation, their defigns developed, and their ftratagems expofed. By the fall of the great and powerful into a state of difgrace and indigence, as well by the revolutions of empires, we are not fo liable to be aftonished at the events, which pafs before our own eyes. The reverfes of fortune fo frequently recorded in the pages of former times convince us of the mutability of worldly affairs, and the precariousness of all human grandeur.

The portraits, bufts, and ftatues of the hero, the legiflator, the patriot, and the philofopher, form a moft edifying school for the ingenious mind. The noble youths of Rome, accustomed constantly to behold in the vestibules of their houses, the images of their ancestors decorated with the emblems of the higheft offices of the state, and crowned with the wreaths of victory, were fired with the love of glory, and ftrove to emulate their exploits. Hiftory in a fimilar manner, by tranfmitting the fpirit of excellence from one mind to

Sæpe audivi Q. Maximum & P. Scipionem civitatis noftræ præclaros viros folitos ita dicere, cum majorum imagines intuerentur, vehementiffimè fibi animum ad virtutem accendi; fcilicet non ceram illam neque figuram tantam vim in fefe habere; fed memoria rerum geftarum eam flammam egregiis viris in pectore crefcere, neque prius fedari, quam virtus eorum famam atque gloriam adæquaverit. Salluft. Bell. Jugurth.

another,