in our days, converted, like the Virgin of Nabis, into an instrument of torture. How far we have retrenched these excesses, and steered between the opposites of exuberance and abridgment, the judicious are left to determine. We here offer the public a History of Mankind, from the earliest accounts of time, to the present age, in twelve volumes, which, upon mature deliberation, appeared to us the proper mean. It has been our endeavour to give every fact its full scope, but, at the same time, to retrench all disgusting superfluity, to give every object the due proportion it ought to maintain, in the general picture of mankind, without crowding the canvas. We hope, therefore, that the reader will here see the revolulutions of empires without confusion, and trace arts and laws from one kingdom to another, without losing his interest in the narrative of their other transactions. To attain these ends with greater certainty of success, we have taken care, in some measure, to banish that late, and, we may add, gothic practice, of using a multiplicity of notes; a thing as much unknown to the ancient historians, as it is disgusting in the moderns. Balzac somewhere calls vain erudition the baggage of antiquity; might we, in turn, be permitted to make an apothegm, we would call notes the baggage of a bad writer. It certainly argues a defect of method, or a want of perspicuity, when an author is thus obliged to write notes upon his own works; and, it may assuredly be said, that whoever undertakes to write a comment upon himself, will for ever remain, without a rival, his own commentator. We' have, therefore, lopped off such excrescences, though not to any degree of affectation; as some→ times an acknowledged blemish may be admitted into works of skill, either to cover a greater defect, or to take a nearer course to beauty. Having mentioned the danger of affectation, it may be proper to observe, that as this of all defects is most apt to insinuate itself into such a work, we have, therefore, been upon our guard against it. Innovation in a performance of this nature, should by no means be attempted: those names and spellings which have been used in our language for time immemorial, ought to continue unaltered: for, like states, they acquire a sort of jus diuturnæ possessionis, as the civilians express it, however unjust their original claims might have been. With respect to chronology and geography, the one of which fixes actions to time, while the other assigns them to place, we have followed the most approved methods among the moderns. All that was requisite in this, was to preserve one system of each invariably, and permit such as chose, to adopt the plans of others, to rectify our deviations to their own standard. If actions and things are made to preserve their due distances of time and place, mutually with respect to cach other, it matters little as to the duration of them all with respect to eternity, or their situation with regard to the universe. Thus much we have thought proper to premise, concerning a work which, however executed, has cost much labour, and great expence. Had we for our judges the unbiassed and the judicious alone, few words would have served, or even silence would have been our best address; but, when it is considered that we have laboured for the public, that miscellaneous being, at variance within itself, from the differing influence of pride, prejudice, or incapacity; a public, already sated with attempts of this nature, and in a manner unwilling to find out merit till forced upon its notice; we hope to be pardoned for thus endeavouring to shew where it is presumed we have had a superiority. A History of the world to the present time, at once satisfactory and succinct, calculated rather for use than curiosity, to be read rather than consulted, seeking applause from the reader's feelings, not from his ignorance of learning, or affectation of being thought learned; a History that may be purchased at an easy expence, yet that omits nothing material, delivered in a style correct, yet familiar, was wanting in our language; and, though sensible of our own insufficiency, this defect we have attempted to supply. Whatever reception the present age, or posterity, may give this work, we rest satisfied with our own endeavours to deserve a kind one. The completion of our design has, for some years, taken up all the time we could spare from other occupations, of less importance, indeed, to the public, but probably more advantageous to ourselves. We are unwilling, therefore, to dismiss this subject without observing, that the labour of so great a part of life, should at least be examined with candour, and not carelessly confounded in that multiplicity of daily publications, which are conceived without effort, are produced without praise, and sink without censure. |