322 GIBBON. 



enabled the " most faithful of historians"' 5 " to ascertain 

 clearly their accuracy, that is, the truth of his narrative. 

 This is the very first virtue of the historical character; 

 and that merit, therefore, is fully possessed by Gibbon. 

 In it he is the worthy rival of Robertson, and in it he 

 forms a remarkable contrast to Hume. 



The next great merit of Gibbon is the judgment with 

 which he weighs conflicting authorities, and the freedom 

 with which he rejects improbable relations. His sagacity 

 is remarkable; and his attention seems ever awake. 

 When we consider the obscurity in which many events 

 during the dark ages are necessarily shrouded, nay, even 

 the multitude of obscure actors on the turbulent and 

 varied scenes persons whom he yet was not at liberty 

 to pass over this praise, so generally accorded to him, 

 becomes the more flattering, in proportion as the task 

 was the more difficult of following scanty and uncertain 

 lights, and describing strange but oftentimes mean trans- 

 actions. His most distinguished translator and commen- 

 tator, after, at one time, doubting his general accuracy 

 and powers of discrimination, has confessed, upon a more 

 careful perusal, with a constant reference to his authori- 

 ties, that he had judged him too severely, and has done 

 ample justice, as well to " his power of judicious discri- 

 mination" (justesse d' esprit) " as to the immensity of his 

 researches and the variety of his knowledge." f 



The third excellence of the work is its varied learning, 

 distributed in the vast body of notes which accompany 



* Robertson. See his letter on the publication of the first volume. 

 That great writer had diligently traced the author's references, 

 t Guizot. Preface. 



