ROBERTSON. 285 



no doctrine of compensation in the code of public 

 morals ; and he who undertakes to record the actions 

 of princes, and to paint their characters, is not at 

 liberty to cast a veil over undeniable imperfections, or 

 suffer himself like the giddy vulgar to be so dazzled by 

 vulgar glory that his eyes are blind to crime.* 



A few months previous to the publication of his 

 ' History,' Dr. Robertson, who had before received the 

 degree of Doctor in Divinity from the University of 

 Edinburgh, removed to that city, being presented to 

 the kirk of the Old Grey Friars. In 1759 he was 

 made one of the chaplains royal, a sinecure in the 

 Scotch Church ; in 1762 he was appointed Principal 

 of the University, and a proposition was now made, pro- 

 ceeding from the King through his favourite minister, 

 Lord Bute, who communicated it to Lord Cathcart, and 

 he to the Principal, that if he would undertake to write 

 the History of England, every source of information 

 which the government could command would be laid 

 open to his researches, and such provision settled upon 

 him as might enable him to bestow his whole attention 

 and time upon this important work without the inter- 

 ruptions occasioned by his professional duties. This 

 plan was so far favourably received that he expressed 

 his willingness now to undertake the subject, as he could 



* Hume's highly-wrought character of Elizabeth, perhaps the 

 finest of all his historical portraits, is liable to the same grave ob- 

 jection ; somewhat mitigated by the circumstance that he seemed to 

 lend less implicit credence to Davidson's testimony against her than 

 Robertson does. It is remarkable that neither historian has remarked 

 in Mary's vindication the undoubted right she had, without commit- 

 ting an offence against the law or against morals, to join in any mea- 

 sures of hostility against Elizabeth, who held her in an illegal custody. 



