Youremembertheverses，mylord，inourfriend’sEssayonCriticism，whichwastheworkofhischildhoodalmost；butissuchamonumentofgoodsenseandpoetryasnoother，thatIknow，hasraisedinhisriperyears。
Hewhoreadswithoutthisdiscernmentandchoice，and，likeBodin’spupil，resolvestoreadall，willnothavetime，no，norcapacityneither，todoanythingelse。Hewillnotbeabletothink，withoutwhichitisimpertinenttoread；nortoact，withoutwhichitisimpertinenttothink。Hewillassemblematerialswithmuchpains，andpurchasethematmuchexpense，andhaveneitherleisurenorskilltoframethemintoproperscantlings，ortopreparethemforuse。Towhatpurposeshouldhehusbandhistime，orlearnarchitecture？
hehasnodesigntobuild。Butthentowhatpurposeallthesequarriesofstone，allthesemountainsofsandandlime，alltheseforestsofoakanddeal？“Magnoimpendiotemporum，magnaalienarumauriummolestia，laudatiohaecconstat，Ohominemliteratum!Simushoctitulorusticiorecontenti，Ovirumbonum!“Wemayadd，andSenecamighthaveaddedinhisownstyle，andaccordingtothemannersandcharactersofhisownage，anothertitleasrustic，andaslittleinfashion，“Ovirumsapientiasuasimplicem，etsimplicitatesuasapientem？Ovirumutilemsibi，suis，reipublica，ethumanogeneri!“Ihavesaidperhapsalready，butnomatter，itcannotberepeatedtoooften，thatthedriftofallphilosophy，andofallpoliticalspeculations，oughttobethemakingusbettermen，andbettercitizens。
Thosestudies，whichhavenointentiontowardsimprovingourmoralcharacters，havenopretencetobestyledphilosophical。“Quisestenim，“saysTullyinhisOffices，“quinullisofficiipraeceptis，tradendis，philosophumseaudeatdicere？“Whateverpoliticalspeculations，insteadofpreparingustobeusefultosociety，andtopromotethehappinessofmankind，areonlysystemsforgratifyingprivateambition，andpromotingprivateinterestsatthepublicexpense；allsuch，Isay，deservetobeburnt，andtheauthorsofthemtostarve，likeMachiavel，inajail。
I。TheGreatUseofHistory，ProperlySoCalled，AsDistinguishedfromtheWritingsofMereAnnalistsandAntiquaries。II。GreekandRomanHistorians。III。SomeIdeaofaCompleteHistory。IV。FurtherCautionstobeObservedinThisStudy，andtheRegulationofitAccordingtotheDifferentPossessions，andSituationsofMen；Aboveall，theUsetoMadeofit1