IhavesometimesthoughtthatVirgilmighthavejustlyascribedtohiscountrymenthepraiseofwritinghistorybetter，aswellasthatofaffordingthenoblestsubjectsforit，inthosefamousverses，wherethedifferentexcellencesofthetwonationsaresofinelytouched：buthewouldhaveweakenedperhapsbylengthening，andhaveflattenedtheclimax。OpenHerodotus，youareentertainedbyanagreeablestory-teller，whomeanttoentertain，andnothingmore。ReadThucydidesorXenophon，youaretaughtindeedaswellasentertained：andthestatesmanorthegeneral，thephilosopherortheorator，speakstoyouineverypage。Theywroteonsubjectsonwhichtheywerewellinformed，andtheytreatedthemfully：theymaintainedthedignityofhistory，andthoughtitbeneaththemtovampupoldtraditions，likethewritersoftheirageandcountry，andtobethetrumpetersofalyingantiquity。TheCyropaediaofXenophonmaybeobjectedperhaps；butifhegaveitforaromance，notahistory，ashemightforaughtwecantell，itisoutofthecase：andifhegaveitforahistory，notaromance，IshouldpreferhisauthoritytothatofHerodotus，oranyotherofhiscountrymen。Buthoweverthismightbe，andwhatevermeritwemayjustlyascribetothesetwowriters，whowerealmostsingleintheirkind，andwhotreatedbutsmallportionsofhistory；
　　certainitisingeneral，thatthelevityaswellasloquacityoftheGreeksmadethemincapableofkeepinguptothetruestandardofhistory：andevenPolybiusandDionysiusofHalicarnassusmustbowtothegreatRomanauthors。
　　Manyprincipalmenofthatcommonwealthwrotememorialsoftheirownactionsandtheirowntimes：Sylla，Caesar，Labienus，Pollio，Augustus，andothers。
　　Whatwritersofmemorials，whatcompilersofthemateriahistoricawerethese？
　　Whatgeniuswasnecessarytofinishupthepicturesthatsuchmastershadsketched？Romeaffordedmenthatwereequaltothetask。Lettheremains，thepreciousremains，ofSallust，ofLivy，andofTacitus，witnessthistruth。
　　WhenTacituswrote，eventheappearancesofvirtuehadbeenlongproscribed，andtastewasgrowncorruptaswellasmanners。Yethistorypreservedherintegrityandherlustre。ShepreservedtheminthewritingsofsomewhomTacitusmentions，innoneperhapsmorethanhisown；everylineofwhichoutweighswholepagesofsucharhetorasFamianusStrada。Isinglehimoutamongthemoderns，becausehehadthefoolishpresumptiontocensureTacitus，andtowritehistoryhimself：andyourlordshipwillforgivethisshortexcursioninhonorofafavoriteauthor。
　　Whataschoolofprivateandpublicvirtuehadbeenopenedtousattheresurrectionoflearning，ifthelatterhistoriansoftheRomancommonwealth，andthefirstofthesucceedingmonarchy，hadcomedowntousentire？Thefewthatarecomedown，thoughbrokenandimperfect，composethebestbodyofhistorythatwehave，naytheonlybodyofancienthistorythatdeservestobeanobjectofstudy。Itfailsusindeedmostatthatremarkableandfatalperiod，whereourreasonablecuriosityisraisedthehighest。Livyemployedfiveandfortybookstobringhishistorydowntotheendofthesixthcentury，andthebreakingoutofthethirdPunicwar：butheemployedninety-fivetobringitdownfromthencetothedeathofDrusus；thatis，throughthecourseofonehundredandtwentyorthirtyyears。Apian，DionCassius，andothers，nayevenPlutarchincluded，makeusbutpooramendsforwhatislostofLivy。Amongalltheadventitioushelpsbywhichweendeavortosupplythislossinsomedegree，thebestarethosewhichwefindscatteredupanddownintheworksofTully。Hisorations，particularly，andhisletters，containmanycuriousanecdotesandinstructivereflections，concerningtheintriguesandmachinationsthatwerecarriedonagainstliberty，fromCatiline’sconspiracytoCaesar’s。Thestateofthegovernment，theconstitutionandtemperoftheseveralparties，andthecharactersoftheprincipalpersonswhofiguredatthattimeonthepublicstage，aretobeseenthereinastrongerandtruerlightthantheywouldhaveappearedperhapsifhehadwrittenpurposelyonthissubject，andeveninthosememorialswhichhesomewherepromisesAtticustowrite。“ExcudamaliquodHeraclidiumopus，quodlateatinthesauristuis“。Hewouldhardlyhaveunmaskedinsuchawork，asfreelyasinfamiliaroccasionalletters，Pompey，Cato，Brutus，nayhimself；thefourmenofRome，onwhosepraiseshedweltwiththegreatestcomplacency。
　　TheageinwhichLivyflourishedaboundedwithsuchmaterialsasthese：theywerefresh，theywereauthentic；itwaseasytoprocurethem，itwassafetoemploythem。Howhedidemploytheminexecutingthesecondpartofhisdesign，wemayjudgebyhisexecutionofthefirst：and，Iowntoyourlordship，Ishouldbegladtoexchange，ifitwerepossible，whatwehaveofthishistoryforwhatwehavenot。Wouldyounotbeglad，mylord，tosee，inonestupendousdraught，thewholeprogressofthatgovernmentfromlibertytoservitude？
　　thewholeseriesofcausesandeffects，apparentandreal，publicandprivate？
　　thosewhichallmensaw，andallgoodmenlamentedandopposedatthetime；
　　andthosewhichweresodisguisedtotheprejudices，tothepartialitiesofadividedpeople，andeventothecorruptionofmankind，thatmanydidnot，andthatmanycouldpretendtheydidnot，discernthem，tillitwastoolatetoresistthem？Iamsorrytosayit，thispartoftheRomanstorywouldbenotonlymorecuriousandmoreauthenticthantheformer，butofmoreimmediateandmoreimportantapplicationtothepresentstateofBritain。
　　Butitislost：thelossisirreparable，andyourlordshipwillnotblamemefordeploringit。
　　III。Theywhosetupforscepticismmaynotregretthelossofsuchahistory：butthisIwillbeboldtoasserttothem，thatahistorymustbewrittenonthisplan，andmustaimatleastattheseperfections，oritwillanswersufficientlynoneoftheintentionsofhistory。ThatitwillnotanswersufficientlytheintentionIhaveinsisteduponintheseletters，thatofinstructingposteritybytheexampleofformerages，ismanifest：andIthinkitisasmanifest，thatahistorycannotbesaideventorelatefaithfully，andinformustrulythatdoesnotrelatefully，andinformusofallthatisnecessarytomakeatruejudgmentconcerningthematterscontainedinit。Nakedfacts，withoutthecausesthatproducedthem，andthecircumstancesthataccompaniedthem，arenotsufficienttocharacteriseactionsorcounsels。
　　Thenicedegreesofwisdomandoffolly，ofvirtueandofvice，willnotonlybeundiscoverableinthem；butwemustbeveryoftenunabletodetermineunderwhichofthesecharacterstheyfallingeneral。ThescepticsIamspeakingofarethereforeguiltyofthisabsurdity：thenearerahistorycomestothetrueideaofhistory，thebetteritinformsandthemoreitinstructsus，themoreworthytoberejecteditappearstothem。Ihavesaidandallowedenoughtocontentanyreasonablemanabouttheuncertaintyofhistory。I
　　haveownedthatthebestaredefective，andIwilladdinthisplaceanobservationwhichdidnot，Ithink，occurtomebefore。Conjectureisnotalwaysdistinguishedperhapsasitoughttobe；sothataningeniouswritermaysometimesdoveryinnocently，whatamaliciouswriterdoesverycriminallyasoftenashedares，andashismalicerequiresit：hemayaccountforevents，aftertheyhavehappened，byasystemofcausesandconductthatdidnotreallyproducethem，thoughitmightpossiblyorevenprobablyhaveproducedthem。Butthisobservation，likeseveralothers，becomesareasonforexaminingandcomparingauthorities，andforpreferringsome，notforrejectingall。Davila，anoblehistoriansurely，andonewhomIshouldnotscrupletoconfessequalinmanyrespectstoLivy，asIshouldnotscrupletopreferhiscountrymanGuicciardintoThucydidesineveryrespect；Davila，mylord，wasaccused，fromthefirstpublicationofhishistory，oratleastwassuspected，oftoomuchrefinementandsubtlety，indevelopingthesecretmotivesofactions，inlayingthecausesofeventstoodeep，anddeducingthemoftenthroughaseriesofprogressiontoocomplicated，andtooartistlywrought。Butyetthesuspiciouspersonwhoshouldrejectthishistorianuponsuchgeneralinducementsasthese，wouldhavenogracetoopposehissuspicionstotheauthorityofthefirstdukeofEpernon，whohadbeenanactor，andaprincipalactortoo，inmanyofthescenesthatDavilarecites。Girard，secretarytothisduke，andnocontemptiblebiographer，relates，thatthishistorycamedowntotheplacewheretheoldmanresidedinGascony，alittlebeforehisdeath；thathereadittohim，thatthedukeconfirmedthetruthofthenarrationsinit，andseemedonlysurprisedbywhatmeanstheauthorcouldbesowellinformedofthemostsecretcouncilsandmeasuresofthosetimes。
　　IV。Ihavesaidenoughonthishead，andyourlordshipmaybeinduced，perhaps，bywhatIhavesaid，tothinkwithme，thatsuchhistoriesasthese，whetherancientormodern，deservealonetobestudied。Letusleavethecredulouslearnedtowritehistorywithoutmaterials，ortostudythosewhodoso；towrangleaboutancienttraditions，andtoringdifferentchangesonthesamesetofbells。Letusleavethesceptics，inmodernaswellasancienthistory，totriumphinthenotablediscoveryoftheidesofonemonthmistakenforthecalendsofanother，orinthevariousdatesandcontradictorycircumstanceswhichtheyfindinweeklygazettesandmonthlymercuries。Whilsttheyarethusemployed，yourlordshipandIwillproceed，ifyouplease，toconsidermoreclosely，thanwehaveyetdone，therulementionedabove；
　　that，Imean，ofusingdiscernmentandchoiceinthestudyofthemostauthentichistory，thatofnotwanderinginthelight，whichisasnecessaryasthatofnotgropinginthedark。
　　Manisthesubjectofeveryhistory；andtoknowhimwell，wemustseehimandconsiderhim，ashistoryalonecanpresenthimtous，ineveryage，ineverycountry，ineverystate，inlifeandindeath。History，therefore，ofallkinds，ofcivilisedanduncivilised，ofancientandmodernnations，inshort，allhistorythatdescendstoasufficientdetailofhumanactionsandcharacters，isusefultobringusacquaintedwithourspecies，nay，withourselves。Toteachandtoinculcatethegeneralprinciplesofvirtue，andthegeneralrulesofwisdomandgoodpolicy，whichresultfromsuchdetailsofactionsandcharacters，comesforthemostpart，andalwaysshouldcome，expresslyanddirectlyintothedesignofthosewhoarecapableofgivingsuchdetailsand，therefore，whilsttheynarrateashistorians，theyhintoftenasphilosophers；theyputintoourhands，asitwere，oneveryproperoccasion，theendofaclue，thatservestoremindusofsearching，andtoguideusinthesearchofthattruthwhichtheexamplebeforeuseitherestablishesorillustrates。Ifawriterneglectsthispart，weareable，however，tosupplyhisneglectbyourownattentionandindustry：andwhenhegivesusagoodhistoryofPeruviansorMexicans，ofChineseorTartars，ofMuscovitesorNegroes，wemayblamehim，butwemustblameourselvesmuchmore，ifwedonotmakeitagoodlessonofphilosophy。Thisbeingthegeneraluseofhistory，itisnottobeneglected。Everyonemaymakeit，whoisabletoreadandreflectonwhathereads，andeveryonewhomakesitwillfindinhisdegree，thebenefitthatarisesfromanearlyacquaintancecontractedinthismannerwithmankind。Wearenotonlypassengersorsojournersinthisworld，butweareabsolutestrangersatthefirststepwemakeinit。
　　Ourguidesareoftenignorant，oftenunfaithful。Bythismapofthecountry，whichhistoryspreadsbeforeus，wemaylearn，ifweplease，toguideourselves。
　　Inourjourneythroughit，wearebesetoneveryside。Wearebesieged，sometimeseveninourstrongestholds。Terrorsandtemptations，conductedbythepassionsofothermen，assaultus：andourownpassions，thatcorrespondwiththese，betrayus。Historyisacollectionofthejournalsofthosewhohavetravelledthroughthesamecountry，andbeenexposedtothesameaccidents：andtheirgoodandtheirillsuccessareequallyinstructive。Inthispursuitofknowledgeanimmensefieldisopenedtous：generalhistories，sacredandprofane；
　　thehistoriesofparticularcountries，particularevents，particularorders，particularmen；memorials，anecdotes，travels。Butwemustnotrambleinthisfieldwithoutdiscernmentorchoice，norevenwiththesemustwerambletoolong。
　　Astothechoiceofauthors，whohavewrittenonallthesevarioussubjects，somuchhasbeensaidbylearnedmenconcerningallthosethatdeserveattention，andtheirseveralcharactersaresowellestablished，thatitwouldbeasortofpedanticaffectationtoleadyourlordshipthroughsovoluminous，andatthesametimesoeasy，adetail。Ipassitoverthereforeinordertoobserve，thatassoonaswehavetakenthisgeneralviewofmankind，andofthecourseofhumanaffairsindifferentagesanddifferentpartsoftheworld，weoughttoapply，and，theshortnessofhumanlifeconsidered，toconfineourselvesalmostentirelyinourstudyofhistory，tosuchhistoriesashaveanimmediaterelationtoourprofessions，ortoourrankandsituationinthesocietytowhichwebelong。Letmeinstanceintheprofessionofdivinity，asthenoblestandthemostimportant。
　　Ihavesaidsomuchconcerningthesharewhichdivinesofallreligionshavetakeninthecorruptionofhistory，thatIshouldhaveanathemaspronouncedagainstme，nodoubt，intheeastandthewest，bythedairo，themufti，andthepope，iftheselettersweresubmittedtoecclesiasticalcensure；
　　forsurely，mylord，theclergyhaveabettertitle，thanthesonsofApollo，tobecalled“genusirritabilevatum。“Whatwoulditbe，ifIwentabouttoshow，howmanyoftheChristianclergyabuse，bymisrepresentationandfalsequotation，thehistorytheycannolongercorrupt？Andyetthistaskwouldnotbe，eventome，anhardone。ButasImeantospeakinthisplaceofChristiandivinesalone，soImeantospeakofsuchofthemparticularlyasmaybecalleddivineswithoutanysneer；ofsuchofthem，forsomesuchIthinkthereare，asbelievethemselves，andwouldhavemankindbelieve；
　　notfortemporalbutspiritualinterest，notforthesakeoftheclergy，butforthesakeofmankind。Nowithasbeenlongmatterofastonishmenttome，howsuchpersonsasthesecouldtakesomuchsillypainstoestablishmysteryonmetaphysics，revelationonphilosophy，andmattersoffactonabstractreasoning？Areligionfoundedontheauthorityofadivinemission，confirmedbypropheciesandmiracles，appealstofacts：andthefactsmustbeprovedasallotherfactsthatpassforauthenticareproved；forfaithsoreasonableafterthisproof，isabsurdbeforeit。Iftheyarethusproved，thereligionwillprevailwithouttheassistanceofsomuchprofoundreasoning：
　　iftheyarenotthusproved，theauthorityofitwillsinkintheworldevenwiththisassistance。Thedivinesobjectintheirdisputeswithatheists，andtheyobjectveryjustly，thatthesemenrequireimproperproofs；proofsthatarenotsuitedtothenatureofthesubject，andthencavilthatsuchproofsarenotfurnished。Butwhatthendotheymean，tofallintothesameabsurditythemselvesintheirdisputeswiththeists，andtodinimproperproofsinearsthatareopentoproperproofs？Thematterisofgreatmoment，mylord，andImakenoexcuseforthezealwhichobligesmetodwellalittleonit。Aseriousandhonestapplicationtothestudyofecclesiasticalhistory，andeverypartofprofanehistoryandchronologyrelativetoit，isincumbentonsuchreverendpersonsasareherespokenof，onadoubleaccount：becausehistoryalonecanfurnishtheproperproofs，thatthereligiontheyteachisofGod；andbecausetheunfairmanner，inwhichtheseproofshavebeenandarecalledfurnished，createsprejudices，andgivesadvantagesagainstChristianitythatrequiretoberemoved。Noscholarwilldaretodeny，thatfalsehistory，aswellasshammiracles，hasbeenemployedtopropagateChristianityformerly：andwhoeverexaminesthewritersofourownage，willfindthesameabuseofhistorycontinued。Manyandmanyinstancesofthisabusemightbeproduced。Itisgrownintocustom，writerscopyoneanother，andthemistakethatwascommitted，orthefalsehoodthatwasinventedbyone，isadoptedbyhundreds。