diftinguish the Parliaments founded by the fecond Royal Line, (which were Affemblys of the Nation) from the feveral Parliaments that the Kings of the third Line establish't in the distinct Provinces of the Kingdom, for determining private Law-Suits. He ought to know the Origin of Fiefs; the Service of Feudatarys; the Infranchisement of Bond-men; the Increase of Corporations; the Erection of the Third-State; the Introduction of Clerks Practitioners to be Counsellors to the Nobles, who were little acquainted with the Laws; and the Establishment of Troops in the King's Pay, to prevent the Incurfions of the English, who had settled themselves in the Heart of the Kingdom. The Manners and State of the whole Nation have chang'd in every Age. Without going further back the Alteration of our Manners fince HENRY the IVth is incredible. 'Tis far more important to obferve these Changes of a whole Nation, than barely to relate particular Facts.

If a judicious Perfon fet himself to lay down Rules for writing Hiftory, he might join Examples to Precepts. He might give his Judgment of the Hiftorians of all Ages; and might observe that a compleat Hiftorian is perhaps more uncommon than a great Poet.

*Du Tiers-Etat.

HERO

HERODOTUS, who is call'd the Father of History, relates Things exactly well. There is a Beauty in the very Variety of his Subjects. But his Work is rather a Collection of the various Accounts of the different Countrys, than a History that has Unity of Parts, and a true Order.

XENOPHON only wrote a Journal of his Retreat with his ten thousand Grecians from Papalagonia. Every thing in it is diftinct, and exact; but uniform. His Cyropædia is rather a Philofophical Romance, (as TULLY believ'd,) than a true History.

POLY BIUS is well-skill'd in Politicks, and the Art of War: but he reason's too much; tho' he reason's juftly. He exceeds the Bounds of a mere Hiftorian, His Work is a kind of political Anatomy. He unfolds every Event, as contain'd in its Cause and fhews as it were by mechanical Laws, that fuch a People muft neceffarily overcome another People: and that fuch a Peace made between Rome, and Carthage, cou'd not poffibly laft.

THUCYDIDES and TITUS LIVIUS have many fine Harangues: but they seem to have been compos'd by themselves; and not to be real Speeches. One can fcarce believe that they copy'd them from the Records of that Time. LIVY did

not

not understand the military Affairs of his Age so well as POLYBIUS.

SALLUST Wrote with a peculiar Beauty and Nobleness: but he inlarges too much in defcribing the Manners and Characters of Perfons in two very short Hiftorys.

TACITUS fhews abundance of Skill, and a thorow Knowledge of the moft corrupted Hearts. But he too much affects a myfterious Concifenefs. He's too full of poetical Turns in his Defcriptions. He's too penetrating: he is too refin❜d in his Conjectures. He afcribes that to the fubtleft Policy, which really arose from Miftake, Caprice, or unaccountable Humour. The greatest Events often flow from the meaneft Caufes. It was Weaknefs, Cuftom, falfe Shaine, Difgust, or the Advice of a Freed-Man, that determin'd an Affair whilft TACITUS endeavour'd to find out the moft refin'd Policy in the Emperor's Councils. Most People are moderate and fuperficial in the purfuit of Evil, as well as of Good. Tiberius, one of the vileft Men that ever liv'd, was more influenc'd by his Fears, than by any fettled Scheme of acting.

We read D'AVILA with Pleasure; but he fpeaks as if he had been admitted into the moft fecret Councils, One Man çou'd never have been entrusted by all

the

the contending Partys. Befides every Perfon must have fome Secret that he wou'd not communicate to the Hiftorian. One can know but a Part of the Truth: And he who pretends to inform me of what I fee he cou'd not know, inclines me to fufpect even those Facts he might know.

Such a Criticism upon antient and modern Hiftorians, wou'd be very useful, and very agreeable; without offending any living Author.

S. IX. AGAINST what I have propos'd, it will probably be objected that the ACADEMY will never adopt thefe feveral Treatifes as its own; without first examining them. Now 'tis uot likely that an Author who has bestow'd the utmost Pains on a Work, will fubmit it intirely to the Correction of a numerous Affembly, in which the Opinions of the feveral Members will perhaps be very different. Therefore 'tis not to be fuppos'd that the Academy will adopt fuch a Work.

My Anfwer is fhort. I fuppofe that the Academy will not adopt it; but only employ particular Perfons in fuch an Undertaking. Each of thefe might confult the Academy at their Affemblys. For example, the Author of a Rhetorick might propofe to them his Doubts concerning

cerning Eloquence. The Members will give him their Thoughts on this Subject: And their Opinions may happen to be divided. But the Author might make what Use of them he fhou'd judge proper, without conftraining himself.

4

The Difputes that fhou'd arise in these Affemblys upon fuch Questions might be recorded in a fort of Journal, that the Secretary fhou'd compofe without Partiality. This Journal wou'd contain fhort Differtations that might help to improve Criticism, and a good Tafte. Such Employment wou'd oblige the Gentlemen of the Academy to attend its Affemblys punctually. The Reputation and Advantage of it wou'd spread over all Europe.

S. X. TIs true the Academy wou'd frequently happen to be divided upon thefe Questions. The Efteem that fome have for the Antients; and others, for the Moderns, might hinder them from agreeing in their Judgments. But I apprehend no ill Effects from a Contest fo calm, fo polite, and fo moderate as that wou'd prove. For in this Cafe, Everyone might freely follow his own Taste, and his own Notions. Such an Emulation might improve Learning. May I prefume here to offer my Thoughts on the Subject?

1. I