528 ON HERODOTUS. July 6, 



In this ftate of fociety then, among a people fo prone 

 to fable as the Greeks, and with the romaniic imagina- 

 tion of Herodotus, we are not to be furprifed, though 

 in his works, fome intermixture of legendary ftory 

 fhould be found ; on the contrary, it might have been 

 expe6led, that he would have given way, in a greater 

 degree, to the natural bias of his genius, and related with 

 indifcriminate ardour every thing that would moft rea- 

 dily pleafe thofe for whom he wrote. Perhaps it was 

 impoffible for any man in his circumilances, to fet him- 

 felf up againft the common belief of the times, and dif- 

 credit mere than what the limited philofophy of that age 

 would countenance. Upon thefe principl- 5, the objeftion 

 of credulity which has been fo'oftcp made againft Hero- 

 dotus, may be much alleviated, if not wholly wiped off. 



Herodotus prefents us with hiftory in its limpleft 

 foj-m. He brings facls before us without any labour of 

 feleftion, and yet with much propriety ; and charatlers 

 who aft without feeming to have any aflaftance from the 

 hiftorian. They appear in review as if upon the ilage; 

 and atl and fpeak in a manner which immediately com- 

 mands attention. The dramatic form in which he 

 writes, though not fo comprehenfive as the plan adopted 

 by after hiftorians, is however more natural and more 

 pleafing ; it animates the whole, and we. fee before us a 

 picture of men and things fuch as they exift in nature. 

 It is the firft and moft artlefs kind of narration, and is 

 to be found in all early poets and hiftorians. 



Herodotus poffcffes all the qualities which are requi- 

 fite for hiftorical compofition in an eminent degree. 

 He gives a complete view of his fubjeft ; he is copious, 

 and at the fame time pure, perfpicuous and elegant ; he 

 relates with a facility, with an unaffefted grace and 

 fimplicity, which never fail to charm and intereft every 

 reader ; nothing rugged or obfcure, nothing embarraff* 

 ed or laboured, is to be found in his writings. Upon 

 whatever fubjedt he touches, he diffufes that luminouf- 

 nefs, and that fplendour, which is the bell criterion of 



