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
ByDivine，and2ByThosewhoareCalledtotheServiceoftheirCountries。
Iremembermylastletterendedabruptly，andalongintervalhassincepassed：sothatthethreadIhadthenspunhassliptfromme。Iwilltrytorecoverit，andtopursuethetaskyourlordshiphasobligedmetocontinue。
Besidesthepleasureofobeyingyourorders，itislikewiseofsomeadvantagetomyself，torecollectmythoughts，andresumeastudyinwhichIwasconversantformerly。FornothingcanbemoretruethanthatsayingofSolonreportedbyPlato，thoughcensuredbyhim，impertinentlyenoughinoneofhiswildbooksoflaws；“Assidueaddiscens，adseniumvenio。“Thetruthis，themostknowingman，inthecourseofthelongestlife，willhavealwaysmuchtolearn，andthewisestandbestmuchtoimprove。Thisrulewillholdintheknowledgeandimprovementtobeacquiredbythestudyofhistory。
andthereforeevenhewhohasgonetothisschoolinhisyouth，shouldnotneglectitinhisage。“IreadinLivy，“saysMontagne，“whatanothermandoesnot：andPlutarchreadtherewhatIdonot。“Justsothesamemanmayreadatfiftywhathedidnotreadinthesamebookatfiveandtwenty：atleastIhavefounditso，bymyownexperience，onmanyoccasions。
Bycomparing，inthisstudy，theexperienceofothermenandotherageswithourown，weimproveboth：weanalyse，asitwere，philosophy。Wereducealltheabstractspeculationsofethics，andallthegeneralrulesofhumanpolicy，totheirfirstprinciples。Withtheseadvantageseverymanmay，thoughfewmendo，advancedailytowardsthoseideas，thoseincreatedessencesaPlatonistwouldsay，whichnohumancreaturecanreachinpractice，butinthenearestapproachestowhichtheperfectionofournatureconsists；becauseeveryapproachofthiskindrendersamanbetter，andwiser，forhimself，forhisfamily，forthelittlecommunityofhisowncountry，andforthegreatcommunityoftheworld。Benotsurprised，mylord，attheorderinwhichIplacetheseobjects。Whateverorderdivinesandmoralists，whocontemplatethedutiesbelongingtotheseobjects，mayplacethemin，thisistheordertheyholdinnature：andIhavealwaysthoughtthatwemightleadourselvesandotherstoprivatevirtue，moreeffectuallybyadueobservationofthisorder，thanbyanyofthosesublimerefinementsthatpervertit。
Self-lovebutservesthevirtuouswindtowake；
Asthesmallpebblestirsthepeacefullake。
Thecentremov’d，acirclestraightsucceeds；
Anotherstill，andstillanotherspreads；
Friend，parent，neighbor，firstitwillembrace，Hiscountrynext，andnextallhumanrace。
SosingsourfriendPope，mylord，andsoIbelieve。SoIshallprovetoo，ifImistakenot，inanepistleIamabouttowritetohim，inordertocompleteasetthatwerewrittensomeyearsago。
Amanofmyage，whoreturnstothestudyofhistory，hasnotimetolose，becausehehaslittletolive：amanofyourlordship’sagehasnotimetolose，becausehehasmuchtodo。Fordifferentreasonsthereforethesameruleswillsuitus。Neitherofusmustgropeinthedark，neitherofusmustwanderinthelight。Ihavedonethefirstformerlyagooddeal；“neverbamihidarentur；nealiquidesse，inhacreconditaantiquitatisscientia，magniacsecretibonijudicaremus。“Ifyoutakemyword，youwillthrownoneofyourtimeawayinthesamemanner：andIshallhavethelessregretforthatwhichIhavemisspent，ifIpersuadeyoutohastenSownfromthebrokentraditionsofantiquity，tothemoreentireaswellasmoreauthentichistoriesofagesmoremodern。Inthestudyoftheseweshallfindwanyacompleteseriesofevents，precededbyadeductionoftheirimmediateandremotecauses，relatedintheirfullextent，andaccompaniedwithsuchadetailofcircumstances，andcharacters，asmaytransporttheattentivereaderbacktotheverytime，makehimapartytothecouncils，andanactorinthewholesceneofaffairs。Suchdraughtsasthese，eitherfoundinhistoryorextractedbyourownapplicationfromit，andsuchalone，aretrulyuseful。
Thushistorybecomeswhatsheoughttobe，andwhatshehasbeensometimescalled，“magistravita，“themistress，likephilosophy，ofhumanlife。Ifsheisnotthis，sheisatbest“nuntiavetustatis，“thegazetteofantiquity，oradryregisterofuselessanecdotes。SuetoniussaysthatTiberiususedtoinquireofthegrammarians，“quamaterHecuba？
quodAchillesnomenintervirginesfuisset？quidSyrenescantaresintsolita？“
SenecamentionscertainGreekauthors，whoexaminedveryaccuratelywhetherAnacreonlovedwineorwomenbest，whetherSapphowasacommonwhore，withotherpointsofequalimportance；andImakenodoubtbutthataman，betteracquaintedthanIhavethehonortobewiththelearnedpersonsofourowncountry，mightfindsomewhohavediscoveredseveralanecdotes，concerningthegiantAlbion，concerningSamothestheson，orBritothegrandsonofJaphet，andconcerningBrutuswholedacolonyintoourislandafterthesiegeofTroy，astheothersrepeopleditafterthedeluge。Buttenmillionsofsuchanecdotesasthese，thoughtheyweretrue；andcompleteauthenticvolumesofEgyptianorChaldean，ofGreekorLatin，ofGallicorBritish，ofFrenchorSaxonrecords，wouldbeofnovalueinmysensebecauseofnousetowardsourimprovementinwisdomandvirtue；iftheycontainednothingmorethandynastiesandgenealogies，andabarementionofremarkableeventsintheorderoftime，likejournals，chronologicaltables，ordryandmeagreannals。
Isaythesameofallthosemoderncompositionsinwhichwefindrathertheheadsofhistory，thananythingthatdeservestobecalledhistory。
Theirauthorsareeitherabridgersorcompilers。Thefirstdoneitherhonortothemselves，norgoodtomankind；forsurelytheabridgerisinaformbelowthetranslator；andthebook，atleastthehistory，thatwantstobeabridged，doesnotdeservetoberead。Theyhavedoneancientlyagreatdealofhurtbysubstitutingmanyabadbookintheplaceofagoodone；andbygivingoccasiontomen，whocontentedthemselveswithextractsandabridgments，toneglect，andthroughtheirneglect，tolosetheinvaluableoriginals：
forwhichreasonIcurseConstantinePorphyrogenetesasheartilyasIdoGregory。Thesecondareofsomeuse，asfarastheycontributetopreservepublicacts，anddates，andthememoryofgreatevents。Buttheywhoarethusemployedhaveseldomthemeansofknowingthoseprivatepassagesonwhichallpublictransactionsdepend，andasseldomtheskillandthetalentsnecessarytoputwhattheydoknowwelltogether：theycannotseetheworkingofthemine，buttheirindustrycollectsthematterthatisthrownout。Itisthebusiness，oritshouldbeso，ofotherstoseparatethepureorefromthedross，tostampitintocoin，andtoenrich，notencumbermankind。Whentherearenonesufficienttothistask，theremaybeantiquaries，andtheremaybejournalistsorannalists，buttherearenohistorians。
ItisworthwhiletoobservetheprogressthattheRomansandtheGreeksmadetowardshistory。TheRomanshadjournalistsorannalistsfromtheverybeginningoftheirstate。Inthesixthcentury，orverynearitatsoonest，theybegantohaveantiquaries，andsomeattemptsweremadetowardswritingofhistory。Icallthesefirsthistoricalproductionsattemptsonlyoressays：
andtheywerenomore，neitheramongtheRomans，noramongtheGreeks。“GraeciipsisicinitioscriptitaruntutnosterCato，utPictor，utPiso。“ItisAntony，notthetriumvir，mylord，buthisgrandfatherthefamousorator，whosaysthisinthesecondbookofTullyDeOratore，’headdsafterwards，“ItaquequalisapudGraecosPherecydes，Hellanicus，Acusilaus，aliiquepermulti，talisnosterCato，etPictor，etPiso。“IknowthatAntonyspeaksherestrictlyofdefectofstyleandwantoforatory。Theywere，“tantummodonarratores，nonexornatores，“asheexpresseshimself：butastheywantedstyleandskilltowriteinsuchamannerasmightansweralltheendsofhistory，sotheywantedmaterials。PherecydeswrotesomethingaboutIphigenia，andthefestivalsofBacchus。Hellanicuswasapoeticalhistorian，andAcusilausgravedgenealogiesonplatesofbrass。Pictor，whoiscalledbyLivy“scriptorumantiquissimus，“published，Ithink，someshortannalsofhisowntime。
NeitherhenorPisocouldhavesufficientmaterialsforthehistoryofRome；
norCato，Ipresume，evenfortheantiquitiesofItaly。TheRomans，withtheotherpeopleofthatcountry，werethenjustrisingoutofbarbarity，andgrowingacquaintedwithletters；forthosethattheGreciancoloniesmightbringintoSicily，andthesouthernpartsofItaly，spreadlittle，orlastedlittle，andmadeinthewholenofigure。AndwhateverlearningmighthaveflourishedamongtheancientEtrurians，whichwasperhapsatmostnothingbetterthanaugury，anddivination，andsuperstitiousrites，whichwereadmiredandcultivatedinignorantages，eventhatwasalmostentirelywornoutofmemory。Pedants，whowouldimposeallthetraditionsofthefourfirstagesofRome，forauthentichistory，haveinsistedmuchoncertainannals，ofwhichmentionismadeintheveryplaceIhavejustnowquoted。
“AbinitiorerumRomanarum，“saysthesameinterlocutor，“usqueadP。Muciumpontificemmaximum，resomnessingulorumannorummandabatliterispontifexmaximus，efferebatqueinalbum，etproponebattabulamdomi，potestasutessetpopulocognoscendi；idemqueetiamnuncannalesmaximinominantur。“
But，mylord，bepleasedtotakenotice，thattheverydistinctionImakeismadeherebetweenabareannalistandahistorian：“erathistorianihilaliud，“intheseearlydays，“nisiannaliumconfectio。“
Takenoticelikewise，bytheway，thatLivy，whoseparticularapplicationithadbeentosearchintothismatter，affirmspositivelythatthegreatestpartofallpublicandprivatemonuments，amongwhichhespecifiestheseveryannals，hadbeendestroyedinthesackofRomebytheGauls：andPlutarchcitesClodiusforthesameassertion，inthelifeofNumaPompilius。Takenotice，inthelastplace，ofthatwhichismoreimmediatelytoourpresentpurpose。Theseannalscouldcontainnothingmorethanshortminutesormemorandumshungupinatableatthepontiff’shouse，liketherulesofthegameinthebilliard-room，andmuchsuchhistoryaswehaveintheepitomesprefixedtothebooksofLivyorofanyotherhistorian，inlapidaryinscriptions，orinsomemodernalmanacs。Materialsforhistorytheywerenodoubt，hutscantyandinsufficient；suchasthoseagescouldproducewhenwritingandreadingwereaccomplishmentssouncommon，thatthepraetorwasdirectedbylaw，“clavumpangere，“todriveanailintothedoorofatemple，thatthenumberofyearsmightbereckonedbythenumberofnails。Suchinshortaswehaveinmonkishannalists，andotherancientchroniclersofnationsnowinbeing：butnotsuchascanentitletheauthorsofthemtobecalledhistorians，norcanenableotherstowritehistoryinthatfulnessinwhichitmustbewrittentobecomealessonofethicsandpolitics。Thetruthis，nations，likemen，havetheirinfancy：andthefewpassagesofthattime，whichtheyretain，arenotsuchasdeservedmosttoberemembered；butsuchas，beingmostproportionedtothatage，madethestrongestimpressionsontheirminds。Inthosenationsthatpreservetheirdominionlong，andgrowuptomanhood，theelegantaswellasthenecessaryartsandsciencesareimprovedtosomedegreeofperfection；andhistory，thatwasatfirstintendedonlytorecordthenames，orperhapsthegeneralcharactersofsomefamousmen，andtotransmitingrosstheremarkableeventsofeveryagetoposterity，israisedtoansweranother，andanoblerend。
II。ThusithappenedamongtheGreeks，butmuchmoreamongtheRomans，notwithstandingtheprejudicesinfavoroftheformer，evenamongthelatter。