OF THE

STUDY of HISTORY,

LETTER III.

1. An objection against the utility of

history removed.

2. The falfe and true

aims of those who study it. 3. Of the history of the first ages, with reflections on the state of ancient history prophane and facred.

WE

ERE these letters to fall into the hands of some ingenious perfons who adorn the age we live in, your lordship's correfpondent would be joked upon for his project of improving E 2

men

men in virtue and wisdom by the study of hiftory. The general characters of men, it would be faid, are determined by their natural conftitutions, as their particular actions are by immediate objects. Many very converfant in hiftory would be cited, who have proved ill men, or bad politicians; and a long roll would be produced of others who have arrived at a great pitch of private, and public virtue, without any affiftance of this kind. Something has been faid already to anticipate this objection; but fince I have heard feveral perfons affirm fuch propositions with great confidence, a loud laugh, or a filent fneer at the pedants who prefumed to think otherwife; I will spend a few paragraphs, with your lordship's leave, to fhew that fuch affirmations (for to affirm amongst thefe fine men is to reafon) either prove too much, or prove nothing.

IF our general characters were determined abfolutely, as they are certainly

fluenced, by our conftitutions, and if our particular actions were fo by immediate objects; all instruction by precept as well as example, and all endeavours to form the moral character by education, would be unneceffary. Even the little care that is taken, and furely it is impoffible to take lefs, in the training up our youth, would be too much. But the truth is widely different from this representation of it; for what is vice, and what is virtue? I fpeak of them in a large and philofophical fenfe. The former is, I think, no more than the excess, abuse, and mifapplication of appetites, defires, and paffions, natural and innocent, nay useful and neceffary. The latter confifts in the moderation and government, in the ufe and application of these appetites, defires, and paffions, according to the rules of reafon, and therefore often in oppofition to their own blind impulfe.

What now is education? that part, that principal and most neglected part of it, I mean, which tends to form the moral character? It is, I think, an inftitution defigned to lead men from their tender years, by precept and example, by argument and authority, to the practice and to the habit of practifing these rules. The stronger our appetites, defires, and paffions are, the harder indeed is the task of education: but when the efforts of education are proportioned to this ftrength, altho our keencft appetites and defires, and our ruling paflions cannot be reduced to a quiet and uniform fubmiffion, yet are not their exceffes affwaged? are not their abuses and mifapplications, in fome degree, diverted or checked? Tho the pilot cannot lay the ftorm, cannot he carry the fhip by his art better through it, and often prevent the wreck that would always happen without him? If ALEXANDER, who loved wine, and was naturally choleric, had been bred under the severity

of

of Roman difcipline, it is probable he would neither have made a bonefire of Perfepolis for his whore, nor have killed his friend. If SCIPIO, who was naturally given to women, for which anecdote we have, if I mistake not, the authority of POLYBIUS, as well as fome verses of NAEVIUS preferved by A. GELLIUs, had been educated by OLYMPIAS at the court of PHILIP, it is improbable that he would have restored the beautiful Spaniard. In fhort, if the renowned SOCRATES had not corrected nature by art, this firft apostle of the gentiles had been a very profligate fellow by his own confeffion; for he was inclined to all the vices ZOPYRUS imputed to him, as they fay, on the obfervation of his phyfiognomy.

With him therefore, who denies the effects of education, it would be in vain to difpute; and with him who admits them, there can be no difpute, concerning that fhare which I afcribe to the study of hisE 4 tory,