Chap. XVIL] History. 3rj5 



world has mucli reason to regret ; and to whom 

 it is hoped some successor will appear as compe* 

 tent to tread in his steps as he was in those of Dr. 

 Henry. 



The mode of writing history in the form of 

 Letters is^ in a great measure, if not entirely, pe- 

 culiar to the century under consitleration. This 

 form of historical composition, it is believed, was 

 first introduced into the English language by Dr. 

 Goldsmith*, and was afterwards adopted by Mrs* 

 Macaulayf, Dr. Russell, and others. That it 

 presents some advantages, chiefly on the score of 

 that ease and familiarity admissible in the episto- 

 lary style, is obvious ; but whether it be consist- 

 ent with the proper structure, continued narrative, 

 and true dignity of history, may certainly be ques- 

 tioned. 



A new species of historical composition, to which 

 the age under review has given rise, is that which 

 is commonly called Statistical History. The word 

 Statistics, as the name of a peculiar kind of inquiry, 

 was first introduced into the English language by 

 sir John Sinclair. He derived it from the German 

 writers, who have long employed the term to sig- 

 nify those topics of inquiry which interest the 

 statist, or statesman. That is a proper Statistical 

 history of any country which exhibits every thing 



* The History of England, in the form of Ldtas from a No- 

 bleman to ttis Son, in 2 vols, 12mo, was ascribed to lord Lyttleton, 

 to die earl of Orrery, and other noble writers > but was, in reality, 

 written by Dr. Goldsmith. 



f Mrs. Macaulay, in her History of England from the lietola- 

 iionto the present Time, 4to, 1778, adopts tJie mode of wriiinj 

 in Letters, addressed to the rev. Dr. Wilson. 



'^ A i^ 



