So ESSAT upon the PRINCIPLES 



cords the truth as he finds it,, without magnifying the virtues of 

 his friend,, or extenuating thofe of his enemy. 



Though POLYBIUS repeatedly compares that hiflory in which 

 a due regard has not been paid to truth, to an animal without 

 eyes, yet the comparifon does, in reality, fuggefl Tefs than may 

 be affirmed *. An hiftorian without fidelity is worfe than ufe- 

 lefs ; he is injurious to mankind. Upon the credit of his nar- 

 ration, the happinefs of future generations may reft- By an er~ 

 ror in point of fact, every philofopher may be mortified with 

 circumftances, which, by confuting his theory, limit his ufeful- 

 nefs, and impair his fame.. In fuch cafes,- however, the evil is 

 perfonal. If fociety remains unenlightened, it remains alfo un- 

 hurt j while, by an error in the hiflory of men, oppreflive efta- 

 blifhments may be formed, and the happinefs of nations de- 

 ftroyed. 



JUST feeling, then, in the mind of an hiftorian is the bafis of 

 many excellencies. By means of it, his defcriptions become de- 

 licate, his narration interefling, his manner dignified, and his 

 fidelity unqueftionable. 



BUT, befides an acute and judicious fenfe of things that exift, 

 a lively apprehenfion of fuch as are ideal is required of an hi'- 

 ftorian. The intimations of feeling carry along with them a 

 belief of the reality of their objects, while the fuggeftions of 

 fancy are accompanied with no fuch fentiment. If judgment is 

 required to correct that fenfibility which would otherwife be- 

 come feverim, it is fully as needful, to correct that vigour of 

 imagination, which, would end in extravagance. 



FROM the feverity of thofe attentions to truth, which no good 

 hiftorian can facrifice, it may be underftood, perhaps, that ima- 

 gination is a power, which he ought rarely, if at all, to exert. 

 This, however,, is not the cafe. Imagination may be a dange- 

 rous 



* 'On xaQxTif tyi^t^s tr*p.ros -rut t^txn f%*tgf&i<ra> a%(tiTt(i TO afar, r*>s * Ifc>tcs ti etfii 



