THE SECOND BOOK 241 



motives or designs, the counsels, the speeches, the pretexts, 

 the occasions, and other passages of action : for this is the 

 true nature of a Commentary ; though Caesar, in modesty 

 mixed with greatness, did for his pleasure apply the name 

 of a Commentary to the best history of the world. Regis- 

 ters are collections of public acts, as decrees of council, 

 judicial proceedings, declarations and letters of estate, 

 orations, and the like, without a perfect continuance or 

 contexture of the thread of the narration. 



Antiquities or Remnants of History are, as was said, 

 tanquam tabula naufragii^ when industrious persons by an 

 exact and scrupulous diligence and observation, out of 

 monuments, names, words, proverbs, traditions, private 

 records and evidences, fragments of stories, passages of 

 books that concern not story, and the like, do save and 

 recover somewhat from the deluge of time. 



In these kinds of unperfect histories I do assign no 

 deficience, for they are tanquam imperfects mis fa, and there- 

 fore any deficience in them is but their nature. As for 

 the corruptions and moths of history, which are Epitomes, 

 the use of them deserveth to be banished, as all men of 

 sound judgment have confessed ; as those that have fretted 

 and corroded the sound bodies of many excellent histories, 

 and wrought them into base and unprofitable dregs. 



History which may be called Just and Perfect History 

 is of three kinds, according to the object which it pro- 

 poundeth, or pretendeth to represent: for it either 

 representeth a Time, or a Person, or an Action. The 

 first we call Chronicles, the second Lives, and the third 

 Narrations or Relations. Of these, although the first 

 be the most complete and absolute kind of history and 

 hath most estimation and glory, yet the second excelleth 

 it in profit and use, and the third in verity and sincerity. 

 For History of Times representeth the magnitude of 

 actions and the public faces and deportments of persons, 

 and passeth over in silence the smaller passages and 

 motions of men and matters. But such being the work- 

 manship of God as he doth hang the greatest weight 

 upon the smallest wires, maxima e minimis suspendens, 



Q 



