The Author's PREFACE to Efides that this Work is but a rude Essay upon the Manner of writing Hiftory, and what I have drawn from too fuperficial Acquaintance with ancient and modern Hiftorians; the natural Diffidence that I have of my felf, inclines me to fear, that Impatience or Inadvertency may have forced out of my Hands,what could never have lain under them Long enough to appear tolerable at its coming abroad. But that I may not difguft my Readers by too much undervaluing the Prefent I am about to make them, 1 fhall, without Scruple, confefs, That 'tis a Kind of an Abridgment of whatever has been offer'd on this Subject, by the greatest Men of former or latter Ages, that 'tis an Extract of the most rational Obfervations, made by Dionyfius Halicarnaffæus in his Anfwer to Pompey the Great, who defir'd his Judgment upon the Greek Hiftorians, and their several Charaders: that 'tis a Copy taken from the moft judicious Reflections of Lucian, in his admirable Treatife of the biftorical Stile. In a Word, that the Notions which I advance in this Difcourfe, are not properly mine, but are rather thofe of Patricius, in his DiaLogues of Marucci, Mafcard, Beni, Cabrera, and other modern Criticks of Spain and Italy. But as 'tis poffible, I may have fpoilt their Thoughts by the Intermixture of my own; fo I declare beforehand, That I don't look upon it as a Point of Honour, abfolutely to convince my Reader of all that I fay. I am not here enacting Laws; for which I have no Authority or Jurifdiction: I am barely offering Advice, which may be taken or rejected at Pleasure : Nay, fo far am I from prefuming to give Inftructions to any Perfon living, that I am difpos'd to receive them from all the World. For, if I have not Judgment enough to attain that Exactness which is ne ceffary ceffary to fo important a Defign, I have yet enough to fufpect my Abilities, and to apprehend my Danger. Again, there's fo much true Wifdom in not hanging out the Sign of Wisdom, and so much good Senfe in being modeft, that I could gladly have foften'd my own Conjectures with Ariftotle's Perhaps, or Cicero's It feems, that I might be the lefs pofitive, and might declare my felf with greater Caution and Referve, if that Simplicity to which I have confin'd my Stile, would admit this Way of Expreffion. For a very little Share of Prudence will keep a Man from being forward in dictating and deciding, in an Age remarkably obftinate and felf-opiniative. To proceed, the Difcourfe which I am going to make of Hiftory, is by no means of the fevere Character of that of Lucian, who never commends those that write well, but for an Occafion of Expofing those that write ill, and under his feeming Approbation of good Authors, conceals a most refin'd and artful Satyr upon the Bad. I am not of this Temper, nor have I an evil Thought against any Man. All that I propofe, is fo to lay open to the intelligent Reader, the great Hazard of attempting Hiftory, as a Work in which 'tis fo very difficult to fucceed; and to obferve to him that the Judgment of Dionyfius Halicarnaffeus upon Thucydides, is alone fufficient to ftrike Terror into any difcreet Author who is engaging in the fame Field. In fine, to add fomewhat concerning the Character of the Work, after having fpoken of the Workman: I here profefs that the leading Quality intended in these Reflections, is rather Soundness of Senfe, than Refinement of Politicks, though the latter be that which the Curious and Inquifitive are wont chiefly to feek for in Hiftory. For as falfe Policy is the Vaineft of all Arts and Sciences, fo all true Policy is built upon good Senfe, as its most univerfal and moft folid Foundation. Nor do I pretend to offer all that can be faid on this Matter, or to drain a Subject which is really inexhaustible. R E |