Of AUTHORS. 435 



the clergy, and the rigour of the laws in certain 

 countries, have profcribed many excellent works; 

 to which pofterity will dojuitice, and eagerly 

 iearch after. 



X. The knowledge of manufcrifts likewife 

 appertains to that of authors. The critical arc 

 jfliows the manner of dillinguifhing their age 

 and authenticity ; of reading and explaining 

 them, and the ufes to which they may be ap- 

 plied. MorhofF, in his Polyphiitor, has an 

 entire and very curious chapter on manuicrints ; 

 and C. Arnot has publifhed a difcourfe De feltrc- 

 tis dodlorum virorum in manufcripta literaria 

 meritis. The liberality with which the celebrat- 

 ed Magliabechi communicates his own manu- 

 fcripts, or thole of others, and even renders them 

 public, does him much honour, and has gained 

 him great efteem among the learned. 



XI. Biography is a title given to thofe books 

 in general, which contain the life, the hiftory, 

 or actions of illuftrious men, who are not love- 

 reign princes ; and particularly thofe of kMrncrd 

 men and their works , and fometimcs alfo of 

 faints. This term is compofed of two Greek 



If, the tirft of which fignifies y/'/rf, and the 

 \-fcribo: this term, however, is but little 

 by the French writers. The biographies 

 K- nvjfl celebrated men of letters are of 

 infinite ufc in attaining a knowledge of authors : 

 they frequently contain anecdote 

 ]- e a 



