334 Oh the Moral Infiuencc ofHisfortfl 



fcry interitls it not .; and what moral may be 

 extracted fit)m It, lies too deep for the herd of 

 readers; and the historian, actuated by the 

 same motives and spirit as his reader, obtrudes 

 not the latent moral upon him. It is to gratify 

 the thirst of knowledge, the knowledge of what 

 inari'has acted on the great theatre of this world 

 of ours, and to gratify the passion for grand dis- 

 play, grandeurofstyfe aiid grandeur of talent, that 

 the historian writes, and never fails to attract 

 a host of readers ; and the developement of this 

 theory will be found very materially toaifect 

 the discussion of the question in view. 



But I deny not that histoiy subserves to 

 many important uses. These uses it become^ 

 'me to notice, and such is my own affection for 

 history, that I wish I could add every praise 

 wdiich its most passionate admirer contends for. 

 These uses chiefly apply to speeifiq characters 

 and stations, but little enter into the contem- 

 plation of the many, and can hardly af all' be 

 reaped by them. The soldier, the statesman, 

 and the philosopher constitute the three classes 

 to whom history appropriately addresses her 

 lessons, ^ha to them she Is of special Im- 

 portance, and must be a source not only of 

 amusement, but of the rnost valuable instruc- 

 tion. In the detail of military affairs, of the 

 various operations and manoeuvres, which enter 



