J 10 History. [Chap. XVIL 



purity, dignity, and elegance of diction. In these 

 respects Dr. Robertson may be pronounced to 

 stand at the head of all modern historians, and 

 perhaps to hav^e no superior of any age. 



In enumerating the first class of English histo- 

 rical writers, i\lr. Gibbon * comes next in order. 

 The Historij of the Decline and Fall of the Roman 

 Empire^ovms an interesting article in the catalogue 

 of modern historical works. The insidious and 

 malignant zeal to discredit religion, so often mani- 

 fested in this work, is well known. And the ar- 

 tificial structure, the circuitous obscurity, and the 

 meretricious ornaments of the style are no less ge- 

 nerally acknowledged. Notwithstanding, there- 

 fore, all the learning, and other splendid accom- 

 plishments of this celebrated historian, he is far 

 from having furnished a model that can be safely 

 imitated, or conferred any real improvement on 

 this department of English literature. Nor is his 

 work less hostile to all the interests of decorum 

 and virtue, than to the best rules of taste and cri- 

 ticism f . 



Though the three last-mentioned m riters are ge- 

 nerally represented as holding the first rank amongst 

 English historians, there are some other names, 



* Edward Gibbon was born at Putney in 1/37. He was 

 probably one of tlie most learned men of the age. His great 

 historical work was begun about the year 1/72. The first vo- 

 lume was published in \77ij, and the last in J 788. The author 

 died in J 79^- 



t I'hose who would see a faithful exhibition of the partiality, 

 tlie want of regard to truth, and the shameful obscenity which 

 abound m Mr. Gibbon's celebrated work, especially in the fourth, 

 fifth, and sixth volumes of the quarto edition, will do well to con- 

 sult the \ery able review of this part of the work by Mr. Whit- 

 aker^ 6vo, J 791. 



