574 Reflex ioiis on History^ STc. 



accounts of their own times, and then to 

 peruse the annals of former periods immediately 

 connected with them in a kind of retrograde 

 order, till curiosity carries them up to the most 

 ancient authentic records of mankind. The 

 method may be agreeable and enticing, but so far 

 from superseding the usual chronological course 

 of historical study, it may still require for the sake 

 of producing its complete effect, that events 

 should be regularly contemplated from the 

 earliest periods, and considered as they have 

 happened in the order of time. The mechanic 

 who would be master of his art, should not 

 only understand the several parts of a machine, 

 but should be able to put them together. The 

 annals of mankind contain the history of ci- 

 vilization, and, in fact, present it to the mind 

 as a work of Divine Providence. Whoever 

 therefore, would have just notions of its progress 

 and improvement, whoever would trace it to 

 its proper author, should contemplate its origin 

 and observe its melioration through every suc- 

 ceeding age. 



In many points of view therefore, history, 

 faithful history, is worthy of study and atten- 

 tion. It was perhaps the oldest poetry, and 

 has certainly not only suggested to poets of 

 different ages and nations, particularly to 

 Virgil and Thompson, some of their most 



