ANCIENT HISTORY. 93 

 and traditions which the Egyptian pried had told 

 him on his travels , and of thefe he compofed 

 nine poems in profe, each of which he dedicated 

 to one of the mufes, and recited them one after 

 the other at the Olympic Games, and which the 

 people greedily received, admiring all his mar- 

 vellous (lories. 



IV. The third confequence we draw from our 

 principle is, that ancient hiflory is lels the 

 knowledge of what has really happened in the 

 world, than of that which hiftorians have re- 

 lated, and what they have affirmed as facts. 1 

 And, in truth, is not this fufficient ? Does it not 

 contain fufficient matter fully to fatisfy our curio- 

 (ity ? Do we not find in hidory, as it now is, fo vaft 

 a compilation of facts and events, that the longed 



and mod happy memory, is fcarce diffident 

 ro learn and retain them. Is not the time of 

 antiquaries, critics, and commentators, fully cm- 

 ployed in learned refearches ? And of what con-' 

 Irquencc is it to us, after all, to know the exact 

 truth of each ancient fact or event ? Would this 

 p recite knowledge render us in any refpect bet- 

 ter, or can it in the lead contribute to our hap- 

 pincfs ? On the contrary, it is eafy to prove, 

 that the prefcnt generation are more obliged to 

 an ancient hiitorian who has recounted an evcnc 

 tbmev, hat fabulous in its circumdanccs, but in a 



:ier that is intercding, agreeable and ulet'uJ, 

 than to or." \vlui has related facts that are pro 



y true, but in a manner cold, dry, 



interfiling. 



