go OM SOME ENGLISH HISTORIANS. May 25,, 



buried in profound negleft. For this misfortune, fuf- 

 ficient reafons may be affigned ; an hundred and fifty 

 years were wafted in theological frenzy, or in defeat- 

 ing the tyranny of the houfe of Stuart ; and a modem 

 compiler of general hiftory is ftrongly tempted to rulh 

 with precipitation over the remoter periods, and to re- 

 ferve his abilities and refearch for thofe latet fcenes, 

 in which a reader of the prefent day is more, heartily 

 interefte^. — On thefe modern compilers, a few candid 

 ©bfervations may repay a peruial. 



The name of Rapin is now almoft forgotten ; and Mr. 

 Hume, in the end of his Englilli Hiftory, has branded 

 him as an author *' the moft defpicable both in ftyle 

 and matter." The ceiifure is invidious, ungenerous, 

 and unjuft : His work contains an inimehfe multitude 

 of interefling circumflances, wholly omitted by tlie 

 Scottith author. From his perfonal fituation, a clalp.- 

 eal compofuion was not to be expefted. He wrote a 

 more complete General Hiftory of England, than had 

 ever appeared in this country ; and whatever be his 

 faults, it is impoffible to deny his uncommon, me- 

 rit. 



Salmon made an eiTay on the fame fubjeft. Though 

 fhort, it contains much information, which is not to be 

 found in more voluminous hiftorians on the fame fub- 

 jefl. His own refleO^ions are brief, lively and fenfible. 

 It is ufual to reprefent Richard HI. as deformed and 

 decrepid ; and the fame authors inform us, that he un- 

 horfed and killed with his own hand the ftandard-bearer 

 of Henry VH. who was reputed to be the ftrongeft 

 knight in the rebel army. The inconfiftency of thefe 

 two ftories is pointed out by Salmon. He has left be- 

 hind him no work of very fuperior value, yet he muft 

 have been an author of fuperior abilities ; for, without 

 becoming tirefome, he has written more than moft of 

 us have read. 



The fame remarks apply with equal juftice to Dr. 

 Smollex. The immenfe bulk of his writings proves 



