77 



tradition between the different reporters. A late writer* has very ftrenuouflj 

 endeavoured to fliow that no fuch event as the fiege of Troy ever 

 took place. Walpole, in his hiftoric doubts, has ventured to call in 

 queflion fome of the paffages of Englijh hiftory, which feemed to be 

 mofl: authentic. JJJinius Pollio, we are told, found in the hiftory of Cafar 

 written by himfdf, fome things mifreported ; and it is fomewhat furprifing, 

 that the account, which Cafar himfelf has left us, of the memorable 

 battle of Pharfalia, fliould meet with contradiftions. Surely, his evi- 

 dence mud be of the highefl: authority ; and yet, Plutarch and Appian 

 differ from him materially, in fome particulars ; and alfo differ from 

 each other. Innumerable inllances of the fame nature might be adduced 

 from hiftory. 



We may remark an extraordinary difagreement in the accounts of a 

 modern tranfaftion of great importance, and, as one fliould fuppofe, of 

 unqueftionable publicity, the death of the Marquis of Argyle, in the 

 reign of Chades the Second. Lord Clarendon fays, that he was con- 

 demned to be hanged, which was performed the feme day. Burnet, 

 Woodrow, and Ecbard concur, in dating that he was beheaded, though 

 condemned to be hanged; and that, though the fentence was pronounc- 

 ed on Saturday, he was not executed until the Monday after. Yet 

 thefe are all writers of credit, wrote near the time, and had the means 

 of being well Informed. 



Section iv. 



Hqw tJte abufe of popular Credulity may be remedied or prevented. 



It may be enquired, what remedy, or rather what preventative, 

 fliall government apply to the excefs and abufe of popular credulity, 

 which, like an habitual germ of peftilence, lurks in the crafis and con- 



ftitutioa 



* Mr. Bryant. 



