TheAssyriansweretheirneighbors，powerfulneighbors，withwhomtheyhadmuchandlongtodo。Ofthisempire，therefore，ifofanything，wemighthopetofindsomesatisfactoryaccounts。Whatdowefind？TheScripturetakesnonoticeofanyAssyriankingdom，tilljustbeforethetimewhenprofanehistorymakesthatempiretoend。ThenwehearofPhul，ofTeglath-Phalasser，whowasperhapsthesameperson，andofSalmanaser，whotookSamariainthetwelfthoftheeraofNabonasser，thatis，twelveyearsaftertheAssyrianempirewasnomore。Senacheribsucceedstohim，andAsserhaddontoSenacherib。
　　Whatshallwesaytothisapparentcontrariety？IfthesilenceoftheBiblecreatesastrongpresumptionagainstthefirst，maynotthesilenceofprofaneauthoritycreatesomeagainstthesecondAssyrianmonarchs？Thepainsthataretakentopersuade，thatthereisroomenoughbetweenSardanapalusandCyrusforthesecond，willnotresolvethedifficulty。Somethingmuchmoreplausiblemaybesaid，buteventhiswillbehypothetical，andliabletogreatcontradiction。Sothatuponthewholematter，theScripturesaresofarfromgivinguslightintogeneralhistory，thattheyincreasetheobscurityevenofthosepartstowhichtheyhavethenearestrelation。Wehavethereforeneitherinprofanenorinsacredauthorssuchauthentic，clear，distinct，andfullaccountsoftheoriginalsofancientnations，andofthegreateventsofthoseagesthatarecommonlycalledthefirstages，asdeservetogobythenameofhistory，orasaffordsufficientmaterialsforchronologyandhistory。
　　Imightnowproceedtoobservetoyourlordshiphowthishashappened，notonlybythenecessaryconsequencesofhumannature，andtheordinarycourseofhumanaffairs，butbythepolicy，artifice，corruption，andfollyofmankind。Butthiswouldbetoheapdigressionupondigression，andtopresumetoomuchonyourpatience。Ishallthereforecontentmyselftoapplythesereflectionsonthestateofancienthistorytothestudyofhistory，andtothemethodtobeobservedinit；assoonasyourlordshiphasrestedyourselfalittleafterreading，andIafterwritingsolongaletter。
　　LETTER4
　　I。ThatThereisinHistorySufficientAuthenticitytoRenderitUseful，notwithstandingAllObjectionstotheContrary。II。OftheMethodandDueRestrictionstobeObservedintheStudyofit。
　　WhethertheletterInowbegintowritewillbelongorshort，Iknownot：butIfindmymemoryisrefreshed，myimaginationwarmed，andmatterflowsinsofastuponme，thatIhavenottimetopressitclose。Sincethereforeyouhaveprovokedmetowrite，youmustbecontenttotakewhatfollows。
　　Ihaveobservedalreadythatweareaptnaturallytoapplytoourselveswhathashappenedtoothermen，andthatexamplestaketheirforcefromhence；
　　aswellthosewhichhistory，asthosewhichexperience，offerstoourreflection。
　　Whatwedonotbelievetohavehappened，therefore，weshallnotthusapply：
　　andforwantofthesameapplication，suchexampleswillnothavethesameeffect。Ancienthistory，suchancienthistoryasIhavedescribed，isquiteunfitthereforeinthisrespecttoanswertheendsthateveryreasonablemanshouldproposetohimselfinthisstudy；becausesuchancienthistorywillnevergainsufficientcreditwithanyreasonableman。Atalewelltold，oracomedyoratragedywellwroughtup，mayhaveamomentaryeffectuponthemind，byheatingtheimagination，surprisingthejudgment，andaffectingstronglythepassions。TheAtheniansaresaidtohavebeentransportedintoakindofmartialphrensybytherepresentationofatragedyofAeschylus，andtohavemarchedunderthisinfluencefromthetheatretotheplainsofMarathon。Thesemomentaryimpressionsmightbearranged，foraughtIknow，insuchmannerastocontributealittle，byfrequentrepetitionsofthem，towardsmaintainingakindofhabitualcontemptoffolly，detestationofvice，andadmirationofvirtueinwell-policedcommonwealths。Butthentheseimpressionscannotbemade，northislittleeffectbewrought，unlessthefablesbearanappearanceoftruth。Whentheybearthisappearance，reasonconnivesattheinnocentfraudofimagination；reasondispenses，infavorofprobability，withthosestrictrulesofcriticismthatshehasestablishedtotrythetruthoffact：but，afterall，shereceivesthesefablesasfables；
　　andassuchonlyshepermitsimaginationtomakethemostofthem。Iftheypretendedtobehistory，theywouldbesoonsubjectedtoanotherandmoresevereexamination。Whatmayhavehappened，isthematterofaningeniousfable：whathashappened，isthatofanauthentichistory：theimpressionswhichoneortheothermakesareinproportion。Whenimaginationgrowslawlessandwild，ramblesoutoftheprecinctsofnature，andtellsofheroesandgiants，fairiesandenchanters，ofeventsandofphenomenarepugnanttouniversalexperience，toourclearestandmostdistinctideas，andtoalltheknownlawsofnature，reasondoesnotconniveamoment；but，farfromreceivingsuchnarrationsashistorical，sherejectsthemasunworthytobeplacedevenamongthefabulous。Suchnarrationsthereforecannotmaketheslightestmomentaryimpressionsonamindfraughtwithknowledge，andvoidofsuperstition。
　　Imposedbyauthority，andassistedbyartifice，thedelusionhardlyprevailsovercommonsense；blindignorancealmostsees，andrashsuperstitionhesitates：
　　nothinglessthanenthusiasmandphrensycangivecredittosuchhistories，orapplysuchexamples。DonQuixotebelieved；butevenSanchodoubted。
　　WhatIhavesaidwillnotbemuchcontrovertedbyanymanwhohasreadAmadisofGaul，orhasexaminedourancienttraditionswithoutprepossession。
　　Thetruthis，theprincipaldifferencebetweenthemseemstobethis。InAmadisofGaul，wehaveathreadofabsurditiesthatareinventedwithoutanyregardtoprobability，andthatlaynoclaimtobelief：ancienttraditionsareaheapoffables，underwhichsomeparticulartruths，inscrutable，andthereforeuselesstomankind，maylieconcealed；whichhaveajustpretencetonothingmore，andyetimposethemselvesuponus，andbecome，underthevenerablenameofancienthistory，thefoundationsofmodernfables，thematerialswithwhichsomanysystemsoffancyhavebeenerected。
　　Butnow，asmenareapttocarrytheirjudgmentsintoextremes，therearesomethatwillbereadytoinsistthatallhistoryisfabulous，andthattheverybestisnothingbetterthanaprobabletale，artfullycontrived，andplausiblytold，whereintruthandfalsehoodareindistinguishablyblendedtogether。Alltheinstances，andallthecommon-placearguments，thatBayleandothershaveemployedtoestablishthissortofPyrrhonism，willbequoted：
　　andfromthenceitwillbeconcluded，thatifthepretendedhistoriesofthefirstages，andoftheoriginalsofnations，betooimprobableandtooillvouchedtoprocureanydegreeofbelief，thosehistoriesthathavebeenwrittenlater，thatcarryagreaterairofprobability，andthatboastevencotemporaryauthority，areatleastinsufficienttogainthatdegreeoffirmbelief，whichisnecessarytorenderthestudyofthemusefultomankind。
　　Butherethathappenswhichoftenhappens：thepremisesaretrue，andtheconclusionisfalse；becauseageneralaxiomisestablishedprecariouslyonacertainnumberofpartialobservations。Thismatterisofconsequence；
　　forittendstoascertainthedegreesofassentthatwemayhavetohistory。
　　Iagree，then，thathistoryhasbeenpurposelyandsystematicallyfalsifiedinallages，andthatpartialityandprejudicehaveoccasionedbothvoluntaryandinvoluntaryerrors，eveninthebest。Letmesaywithoutoffence，mylord，sinceImaysayitwithtruthandamabletoproveit，thatecclesiasticalauthorityhasledthewaytothiscorruptioninallages，andallreligions。
　　HowmonstrousweretheabsurditiesthatthepriesthoodimposedontheignoranceandsuperstitionofmankindinthePaganworld，concerningtheoriginalsofreligionsandgovernments，theirinstitutionsandrites，theirlawsandcustoms？Whatopportunitieshadtheyforsuchimpositions，whilstthekeepingtherecordsandcollectingthetraditionswasinsomanynationsthepeculiarofficeofthisorderofmen？AcustomhighlyextolledbyJosephus，butplainlyliabletothegrossestfrauds，andevenatemptationtothem。IfthefoundationsofJudaismandChristianityhavebeenlaidintruth，yetwhatnumberlessfableshavebeeninventedtoraise，toembellish，andtosupportthesestructures，accordingtotheinterestandtasteoftheseveralarchitects？ThattheJewshavebeenguiltyofthiswillbeallowed：and，totheshameofChristians，ifnotofChristianity，thefathersofonechurchhavenorighttothrowthefirststoneatthefathersoftheother。Deliberate，systematicallyinghasbeenpractisedandencouragedfromagetoage；andamongallthepiousfraudsthathavebeenemployedtomaintainareverenceandzealfortheirreligioninthemindsofmen，thisabuseofhistoryhasbeenoneoftheprincipalandmostsuccessful：anevident，anexperimentalproof，bytheway，ofwhatIhaveinsisteduponsomuch，theaptitudeandnaturaltendencyofhistorytoformouropinions，andtosettleourhabits。ThisrighteousexpedientwasinsomuchuseandreputeintheGreekchurch，thatoneMetaphrastuswroteatreatiseontheartofcomposingholyromances：thefact，ifIrememberright，iscitedbyBaillet，inhisbookofthelivesofthesaints。HeandotherlearnedmenoftheRomanchurchhavethoughtitofservicetotheircause，sincetheresurrectionofletters，todetectsomeimpostures，andtodepose，ortounniche，accordingtotheFrenchexpression，nowandthenareputedsaint；buttheyseemindoingthistomeanmorethanasortofcomposition：theygiveupsomefablesthattheymaydefendotherswithgreateradvantage，andtheymaketruthserveasastalking-horsetoerror。Thesamespiritthatprevailedintheeasternchurch，prevailedinthewestern，andprevailsstill。AstrongproofofitappearedlatelyinthecountrywhereIam。AsuddenfuryofdevotionseizedthepeopleofParisforalittlepriest，lundistinguishedduringhislife，anddubbedasaintbytheJansenistsafterhisdeath。HadthefirstministerbeenaJansenist，thesainthadbeenasaintstill。AllFrancehadkepthisfestival：andsincetherearethousandsofeye-witnessesreadytoattestthetruthofallthemiraclessupposedtohavebeenwroughtathistomb，notwithstandingthediscouragementwhichthesezealotshavemetwithfromthegovernment；wemayassureourselves，thatthesesillyimpostureswouldhavebeentransmitted，inallthesolemnpompofhistory，fromtheknavesofthisagetothefoolsofthenext。
　　Thislyingspirithasgoneforthfromecclesiasticaltootherhistorians：
　　andImightfillmanypageswithinstancesofextravagantfablesthathavebeeninventedinseveralnations，tocelebratetheirantiquity，toennobletheiroriginals，andtomakethemappearillustriousintheartsofpeaceandthetriumphsofwar。Whenthebrainiswellheated，anddevotionorvanity，thesemblanceofvirtueorrealvice，and，aboveall，disputesandcontests，haveinspiredthatcomplicationofpassionswetermzeal，theeffectsaremuchthesame，andhistorybecomesveryoftenalyingpanegyricoralyingsatire；fordifferentnationsordifferentpartiesinthesamenation，belieoneanotherwithoutanyrespectfortruth，astheymurderoneanotherwithoutanyregardtorightorsenseofhumanity。Religiouszealmayboastthishorridadvantageovercivilzeal，thattheeffectsofithavebeenmoresanguinary，andthemalicemoreunrelenting。Inanotherrespecttheyaremorealike，andkeepanearerproportion：differentreligionshavenotbeenquitesobarbaroustooneanotherassectsofthesamereligion；and，inlikemanner，nationhashadbetterquarterfromnation，thanpartyfromparty。Butinallthesecontroversies，menhavepushedtheirragebeyondtheirownandtheiradversaries’lives：theyhaveendeavoredtointerestposterityintheirquarrels，andbyrenderinghistorysubservienttothiswickedpurpose，theyhavedonetheirutmosttoperpetuatescandal，andtoimmortalisetheiranimosity。
　　TheheathentaxedtheJewsevenwithidolatry：theJewsjoinedwiththeheathentorenderChristianityodious：butthechurch，whobeatthemattheirownweaponsduringthesecontests，hashadthisfurthertriumphoverthem，aswellasovertheseveralsectsthathavearisenwithinherownpale；theworksofthosewhohavewrittenagainstherhavebeendestroyed，andwhateversheadvanced，tojustifyherselfandtodefameheradversaries，ispreservedinherannals，andthewritingsofherdoctors。
　　Thechargeofcorruptinghistory，inthecauseofreligion，hasbeenalwayscommittedtothemostfamouschampions，andgreatestsaintsofeachchurch；