amufement in the country; but was not fo ungenerous as to take the advantage, which fuch a course of reading might have given me, being refolv'd not to make use of poison'd arms against her. I therefore fent her Plutarch's Lives, affuring her, at the fame time, that there was not a word of truth in them from beginning to end. She perus'd them very attentively, 'till the came to the Lives of Alexander and Cæfar, whofe names fhe had heard of by accident; and then return'd me the book, with many reproaches for deceiving her.

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I MAY indeed be told, that the fair fex have no fuch averfion to hiftory, as I have reprefented, provided it be secret history, and contain fome memorable transaction proper to excite their curiofity. But as I do not find that truth, which is the bafis of hiftory, is at all regarded in thofe anecdotes, I cannot admit of this as a proof of their paffion for that study. However this may be, I fee not why the fame curiofity might not receive a more proper direction, and lead them to defire accounts of those who liv'd in past ages as well as of their contemporaries. What is it to Cleora, whether Fulvia entertains a fecret commerce of Love with Philander or not? Has fhe not equal reafon to be pleas'd, when he is inform'd, (what is whifper'd about among hiftorians) that Cato's Sifter had an intrigue with Cefar, and palm'd her fon, Marcus Brutus, upon her husband for his own, tho', in reality, he was her gallant's? And are not the loves of Meffalina or Julia as proper fubjects of difcourfe as any intrigue that this city has produc'd of late years ?

BUT I know not whence it comes, that I have been thus feduc'd into a kind of raillery against the ladies: Unless, perhaps, it proceed from the fame caufe, which makes the perfon, who is the favourite of the company, be often the object of their goodnatur'd jefts and pleasantries. We are pleas'd to addrefs ourselves after any manner to one, who is agreeable to us; and, at the fame time, prefume, that nothing will be taken amifs by a perfon, who is fecure of the good opinion and affections of every one prefent. I fhall now proceed to handle my subject more feriously, and fhall point out the many advantages, which flow from the study of history, and fhew how well fuited it is to every one, but particularly to thofe who are debarr'd the feverer ftudies, by the tenderness of their complexion, and the weakness of their education. The advantages found in hiftory feem to be of three kinds, as it amufes the fancy, as it improves the understanding, and as it ftrengthens virtue.

IN reality, what more agreeable entertainment to the mind, than to be transported into the remoteft ages of the world, and to observe human fociety, in its infancy, making the first faint effays towards the arts and sciences: To fee the policy of government, and the civility of converfation refining by degrees, and every thing which is ornamental to human life advancing towards its perfection. To remark the rife, progrefs, declension and final extinction of the most

flourish

flourishing empires: The virtues, which contributed. to their greatness; and the vices, which drew on their ruin. In short, to see all human race, from the beginning of time, pafs, as it were, in review before us; appearing in their true colours, without any of those disguifes, which, during their life-time, fo much perplex'd the judgment of the beholders. What fpectacle can be imagin'd fo magnificent, fo various, so interesting? What amusement, either of the fenfes or imagination, can be compar'd with it ? Shall those trifling pastimes, which engross so much of our time, be preferr'd as more fatisfactory, and more fit to engage our attention? How perverse must that tafte be, which is capable of fo wrong a choice of pleasures?

BUT history is a most improving part of know ledge, as well as an agreeable amusement; and a great part of what we commonly call Erudition, and value fo highly, is nothing but an acquaintance with hiftorical facts. An extenfive knowledge of this kind, belongs to men of letters; but I must think it an unpardonable ignorance in perfons of whatever fex or condition, not to be acquainted with the hiftory of their own country, along with the hiftories of an- cient Greece and Rome. A woman may behave herfelf with good manners, and have even some vivacity in her turn of wit; but where her mind is fo unfurnifh'd, 'tis impoffible her converfation canafford any entertainment to men of fenfe and reflection.

I MUST add, That history is not only a valuable part of knowledge, but opens the door to many other parts, and affords materials to moft of the sciences. And indeed, if we confider the shortnefs of human life, and our limited knowledge, even of what paffes in our own time, we must be fenfible, that we should be for ever children in understanding, were it not for this invention, which extends our experience to all past ages, and to the most diftant nations; making them contribute as much to our improvement in wisdom, as if they had actually lain under our observation. A man acquainted with history may, in fome refpect, be faid to have lived from the beginning of the world, and to have been making continual additions to his ftock of knowledge in every century.

THERE is also an advantage in that experience which is acquir'd by history, above what is learn'd by the practice of the world, that it brings us acquainted with human affairs, without diminishing in the leaft from the most delicate fentiments of virtue. And, to tell the truth, I know not any ftudy or occupation fo unexceptionable as hiftory in this particular. Poets can paint virtue in the most charming colours; but, as they address themselves entirely to the paffions, they often become advocates for vice. Even philofophers are apt to bewilder themselves in the subtilty of their fpeculations; and we have feen fome go fo far as to deny the reality of all moral diftinc

tions. But I think it a remark worthy the attention of the fpeculative, that the hiftorians have been, almost without exception, the true friends of virtue, and have always reprefented it in its proper colours, however they may have err'd in their judgments of particular perfons. Machiavel himfelf dif covers a true sentiment of virtue in his hiftory of Florence. When he talks as a Politician, in his general reasonings, he confiders poifoning, afaffination. and perjury as lawful arts of power; but when he fpeaks as an Hiflorian, in his particular narrations, he fhews so keen an indignation against vice, and fo warm an approbation of virtue, in many paffages, that I could not forbear applying to him that remark of Horace, That if you chafe away nature, though with never fo great indignity, she will always return upon you. Nor is this combination of hiftorians in favour of virtue at all difficult to be accounted for.. When a man of business enters into life and action, he is more apt to confider the characters of men, as they have relation to his intereft, than as they ftand in themselves ;.and has his judgment warp'd on every occafion by the violence of his paffion. When a philofopher contemplates characters and manners in his clofet, the general abftract view of the objects leaves the mind fo cold and unmov'd, that the fentiments of nature have no room to play, and he scarce feels the difference betwixt vice and virtue. History keeps in a juft medium betwixt these extremes, and places the objects in their true point of view. The writers of hiftory, as well as the readers, are fufficiently inD 6 terested