282 ROBERTSON. 



closing the doors behind them, and up a staircase ; in 

 the third, the Queen's majestic air and noble dress, the 

 pomander chain of her Agnus Dei round her neck, the 

 beads at her girdle, the crucifix of ivory in her hand. 

 By all these skilful selections we are made to see, as it 

 were, the things represented to us, and the pen of the 

 great historian produces the effect of the great artist's 

 pencil, while its pictures are not subject to the destroy- 

 ing influence of time.* 



There seems considerable reason to lament that an 

 intimate acquaintance with the great scenes and cele- 

 brated characters of history, in all ages, should have 

 made the historian too familiar with the crimes on a 

 great scale of importance, and therefore of wickedness, 

 perpetrated by persons in exalted stations, so that he 

 suppresses in recounting or in citing them the feelings 

 of severe reprobation to which a more pure morality, 

 a more strict justice, would certainly have given vent. 

 It is painful to see him fall into the vulgar and perni- 

 cious delusion which secures for the worst enemies of 

 their species the praise and the increase of worldly 

 greatness. It is equally painful to see the worst crimes, 

 even of a more ordinary description, passed over in 

 silence when they sully the illustrious culprit. J^et us 



* Hume, as well as Robertson, has given this scene of Mary's 

 death ; the latter with by far greater effect. But it is singular that 

 he should have left out her noble remonstrance with the commis- 

 sioners when refused the assistance of her servants. It has a great 

 effect in Hume. The observations of the latter on the trial are 

 really beneath contempt. The gross errors into which he falls on 

 the principles of evidence seem hardly credible, and arise from his 

 careless habits, and from his undertaking rashly to deal with matters 

 of which he was ignorant. 



