60 



HISTORY. 



The science 

 of govern- 

 ment. 



notary- along with the study of history, is what is called Sta- 



> """*V" - ' tistics ; or that branch which comprehends an account 



Statistic*, of the sources of the wealth and power of different 



..tates Mich as their population, habits of industry, 



agriculture, manufactures, trade, commerce, and finan- 



- iutbnnation on this head, it is 



obvious that we shall be much perplexed, and fre- 

 quently led astray, in our endeavours to account for the 

 comparative influence and exertions of different nations. 

 Thus, for example, a person ignorant of the advance* 

 which Britain has made in agriculture, manufactures, 

 commerce, and what may be called the economics of 

 the state, cannot possibly satisfactorily account for the 

 high rank which she holds in the scale of European 

 nations, a rank to which, from the mere inspection of 

 the map of Europe, she does not seem by any means 

 to be entitled. 



Another collateral branch of study ought to be that 

 of the governments of nations ; not a minute investiga- 

 tion of the various parts of their government, but such 

 a knowledge of their general and leading principles as 

 would enable us to ascertain, how far, and in what re- 

 spects, the influence and advances of each state might 

 justly be attributable to their respective constitutions. 

 In this point of view also, Great Britain may be cited 

 as an instance peculiarly illustrative of the justice and 

 truth of our observations. A person who had made 

 himself acquainted with the progress of this country in 

 agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, and who be- 

 held in them the sources of her wealth and power, 

 would still be desirous of learning the causes which 

 had enabled her to make this progress so far beyond 

 that of other nations ; and of these causes, on investi- 

 gation, he would find her free constitution to be the 

 most prominent and operative. The observations which 

 we have now offered respecting the connection between 

 the history and the statistics and government of a coun- 

 try, will be most fully and satisfactorily confirmed and 

 illustrated by reading the articles BRITAIN, History of; 

 ENGLAND, History and Statistics of; and SCOTLAND, 

 History and Statistics of, in this work. It is only within 

 these few years that the study of statistics has been 

 much attended to ; and we think we may, without the 

 charge of vanity, or partiality, refer to this Encyclo- 

 paedia, as connecting the history and statistics of the 

 various civilized countries of the world, more intimate- 

 ly and fully together than they had been previously 

 done in any work of the same nature. 



The laws. Whatever illustrates the manners, customs, feelings, 

 Ac. of each circumstances, and condition of the inhabitants of a 

 state, country in the various periods of its history, ought also 



to be studied by him who wishes to derive from his- 

 tory its highest gratification and its full advantage. 

 The popular ballads of a nation, in this respect, ought 

 to be perused ; collections of the laws, ordinances, and 

 internal regulations enacted in a state, during any par- 

 ticular period of its history, are well calculated for the 

 same object ; they give information respecting the con- 

 dition of the great mass of the community, whether 

 they were free or slaves ; and also respecting the pre- 

 valent crimes and vices of the age, and what measure 

 of punishment was necessary to expiate or repress 

 them. 



All these are collateral branches of study, which are 

 connected with the proper and advantageous perusal 

 of history in general ; but those who wish to enter 

 more minutely into the history of any country, and to 

 gain access to as many sources of evidence respecting 

 it as possible, may derive great advantage and assist- 



ance from the records of the courts of law. These History, 

 furnish a vast variety of historical facts, most minutely ""- "Y"""' 

 investigated. To refer again to the particular instance 

 of our own country: It may with truth be affirmed, 

 that no one can form an adequate and correct idea of 

 the gradual amendment effected in our institutions, 

 and of the value of those constitutional principles and 

 efforts, from which those amendments have been de- 

 rived, who lias not read with attention the state trials. State trials. 

 Treaties with foreign powers should also be perused ; 

 and the despatches of ambassadors, especially the con- 

 fidential communications made by diplomatic agents. 

 In the official letters of Barillon, published by Sir John 

 Dalrymple and Mr Fox, the impolicy of Charles II. 

 and of his unfortunate successor, is clearly traced ; 

 and in the papers of Sir Robert Walpole, as published 

 by Mr Cox, a striking picture is exhibited of the diffi- 

 culties incident to the administration of a free govern- official d 

 ment. How much history may be illustrated by the patches, 

 publication of such official papers, or rather how inex- 

 plicable the facts it records may often be, if not illus- 

 trated by such papers, is proved in a most striking and 

 interesting manner in the following instance. In the 

 years 1775 and 1776, General Washington lay en- 

 camped before the town of Boston, at the head of a 

 force far superior to that of the British, for the period 

 of nine months, without striking a blow. The Gene- 

 ral's official correspondence with Congress, published 

 in the year 1795, accounts for this dilatoriness, which, 

 till this publication, was inexplicable. From it, it ap- 

 pears, that, during a great part of this time, he was so 

 scantily provided with powder, that, had the British 

 been aware of his situation, and marched to attack him, 

 he would have been under the necessity of abandoning 

 his position. 



Biography also may be brought to the elucidation and Biography, 

 assistance ot'history. In the lives of sovereigns, eminent 

 statesmen, generals, and lawyers, peculiarities of cha- 

 racter, prejudices, motives, and reasons for conduct, 

 which history cannot detect, and other circumstances, 

 are often brought to light, which serve to elucidate 

 what is obscure, to connect what is disjointed and 

 abrupt, and to account for what before seemed without 

 an adequate and appropriate cause. 



The history of many nations may also be elucidated Monu- 

 by visible monuments, such as pillars, edifices, or mere meats, & 

 heaps of stone ; and by the names given to counties, 

 towns, &c. Of the same nature with public monu- 

 ments are national customs, in commemoration of re- 

 markable historical events ; such as the Athenians 

 sending annually a ship to Delos ; the paschal supper 

 among the Jews ; the Lord's Supper among the Chris- 

 tians ; our making bonefires on the 5th of November, 

 and carrying oak boughs on the 2pth of May. 



Coins and medals are also of great use, in the illus- Medals 

 tration of history. On ancient medals, a number of 

 events have been recorded, so that they serve to confirm 

 such passages as are true in old authors, to ascertain 

 what was before doubtful, and to record such as were 

 omitted. By means of them, Vaillant has been enabled 

 to ascertain, in a very great degree, the chronology of 

 three important kingdoms of the ancient world, viz. 

 Egypt, Syria, and Parthia. Of Balbec and Palmyra, 

 whose ruins are so famous, history scarcely makes 

 any mention, and we have little knowledge of them, 

 but what is supplied by medals and inscriptions. In 

 modern times, coats-of-arms have been made use of for 

 the purpose of distinguishing families. They must, 

 therefore, be of great use in tracing pedigrees, and con- 



