S8 observations on Watst)n''s history. March 21^ 

 the manner of the above celebrated ancients, has no 

 unmeaning flafties of oratory, no studied research af- 

 ter novelty of exprefsion, or measured combinations 

 of words ; he gives a simple recital of facts, in lan- 

 guage pure and philosophical, and addrefses him- 

 self to the pafsions, whojly through the medium of 

 the understanding ; he is content with presenting 

 clear and satisfactory views of interesting scenes, and 

 allows them to make their way to the heart by their 

 native merit. The unadorned picture which he exhi- 

 bits of the miseries of the Netherlands, is certainly 

 far more affecting than though he had employed all 

 the refining arts of rhetorical embellilhments. This 

 indeed is one of the great excellencies of Watson, that 

 we are never amused with words instea,d of things j 

 he never calls. our minds from the proper businefs of 

 the work, to reflections» of his own that are unne- 

 cefsary, and which are in many writers no more than 

 an effected parade of unmeaning ingenuity. The whole 

 series of events lie full and clear before us as they 

 actually existed ; nothing is heightened beyond truth 

 by the false colourings of imagination, nor does any 

 thing appear without suitable dignity. The prin- 

 , cipal circumstances are selected with judgement, and 

 displayed with the utmost perspicuity and order. On 

 ,.no occasion ai'e we at a lofs to apprehend his mean- 

 ing, or follow the thread of his narration ; we are 

 i>ever fatigued with minute attentions, nor distrac- 

 ted with a multiplicity of things at once. 



In relating those complicated arrangements of 

 battles, sieges and encampments which modern im- 

 /movements have introduced into the military art, he 



