liejitxion^: on Historij, Sc. 567 



wards entered his room, what was the cause of 

 the noise, and what were the particulars of the 

 cjuarrel. Hut no two persons agreed in the 

 same account. " Cannot 1 then, (thought 

 " the sage) learn the truth of an incident in 

 " .my own time, from persons present at the 

 ** transaction, and shall I presume to write the 

 " history of mankind in remote ages and coun- 

 *' tries ? Perhaps the best authorities 'for the 

 '* credibility of ancient history, may frequently 

 '* be persons, who have received their accounts 

 " from others, as inaccurate or prejudiced as 

 " those from whom I have inquired." Raleigh's- 

 work was however written, and is yet extant; 

 The objection therefore, to the credibility of 

 history, which the fray suggested, had but a 

 temporary, or at least not an effeqtual influence 

 on his mind. Perhaps he had not inquired 

 enough; perhaps he had inquired too soon 

 before the passions of the different parties were 

 cooled. Other spectators or auditors might be 

 less interested or more impartial. The general 

 outlines of the story might be correctly drawn; 

 though in some inferior particulars the naitators 

 mi«:lit be found to differ. 



Histories written by contemporaries, arc 

 without doubt desirable productions, but due 

 allowance must be made for the prejudices of 

 the characters and times. Without such his- 



