THE BELLES LETT RES. it 



gainft Tiberius, whole profefled enemy he was. 

 Let Tiberius perform the molt innocent, moft 

 juft and honourable actions, Tacitus would find 

 means to make them appear odious ; though he 

 frequently did it in a very awkward manner. 

 Thucidydes, Xenophon, and Jofephus, were ex- 

 cellent hiftorians , but if thole people, who were 

 the enemies of the Jews and Greeks, had found 

 hiftorians of equal ability with their antagonifts, 

 it is likely that the actions of the feveral heroes 

 .vould have been fet before us in very different 

 lights. Not'.vithftanding the refpect that is due 

 to the fathers of the church, we cannot fay that 

 they were entirely free from palfions. They 

 ve to Conitantine the furname of Great, who 

 ; doubtlefs one of the grcateft dolts that evci 

 exiited \ but he was a friend and protector of 

 the Chriltian priefts. The emperor Julian they 

 reprefenred as a monfter, and a man of mean 

 abilities ; whereas he was one of the greateft men 

 .t hiftory has recorded, his unfortunate apo- 

 . ;y exceptcd. Judge, after this, of the credit 

 is due to hiftorians. 



. The ftatefman and the fcholar, the man 



world, and the man of genius, neverthe- 



v. ill and ought to make himfelf acquainted 



!i hiftory. He ought even to know it in thr 



incr it has been tranfmitted to us, with all 



its fables, errors and falfhoods. He ought to 



know, for example, all that the ancient hiftorians 



ha f the labours of Hercules -, of the 



pcdition 



