ROBERTSON. 303 



characters of past times lend themselves to an affecting 

 narrative, conducted on right principles. 



The last work of Dr. Robertson, and which he 

 published little more than two years before his death, 

 was his ' Disquisition concerning India/ It is an 

 able and most learned inquiry, critical and historical, 

 into the knowledge of India possessed by the ancient 

 nations who dwelt on the Mediterranean Sea. No- 

 thing can be more unjust than the notion that this 

 work is so incorrect, or grounded on information so 

 imperfect, as to have been superseded by more full and 

 accurate books since published. There is no doubt 

 that the account of the native customs and manners 

 given in the Appendix has been rendered less useful 

 by the more copious details since obtained, and that 

 some dispute has been made of the views which the 

 author occasionally takes in that Appendix ; but the 

 Disquisition itself remains perfectly untouched by any 

 controversy ; and so far is it from having been super- 

 seded, that no other work has ever been since given 

 to the world on the same subject. It is, from its 

 accuracy, its knowledge of the ancient writings, its 

 judicious reasoning and remarks, as well as its admi- 

 rable composition, quite worthy of a place by the 

 author's former and more celebrated writings ; and it 

 proves his great faculties to have continued in their 

 entire vigour to the latest period of his life. 



It remains to speak of Robertson's style. No one 

 ever doubted of its great excellence, but it has some- 

 times been objected to as less idiomatic and more 

 laboured than is consistent with the perfection of com- 

 position. The want of purely idiomatic expressions 



