cerity of a friend. The impulse of a vigorous mind urged him, at an early age, to write and to print, before his taste and judgment had attained to their maturity. His ignorance of the world, the love of paradox, and the warmth of his temper, betrayed him into some improprieties, and those juvenile sallies which candour will excuse, he himself is the first to condemn, and will perhaps be the last to forget. Repentance has long since propitiated the mild divinity of Virgil, against whom the rash youth, under a fictitious name, had darted the javelin of criticism. He smiles at his reformation of our English tongue, and is ready to confess, that in all popular institutions, the laws of custom must be obeyed by reason herself. The Goths still continue to be his chosen people, but he retains no antipathy to a Celtic savage; and without renouncing his opinions and arguments, he sincerely laments that those literary arguments have ever been embittered, and perhaps enfeebled, by an indiscreet mixture of anger and contempt. By some explosions of this kind, the volatile and fiery particles of his nature have been discharged, and there remains a pure and solid substance, endowed with many active and useful energies. His recent publications, a Treatise on Medals, and the edition of the early Scotch poets, discover a mind replete with a variety of knowledge, and inclined to every liberal pursuit; but his decided propensity, such a propensity as made Bentley a critic, and Rennell a geographer, attracts him to the study of the history and antiquities of Great Britain, and he is well qualified for this study, by a spirit of criticism, acute, discerning, and suspicious. His edition of the original Lives of the Scottish Saints, has scattered some rays of light over the darkest age of a dark country: since there are so many circumstances in which the most daring legendary will not attempt to remove the well-known landmarks of truth. His Dissertation on the Origin of the Goths, with the Antiquities of Scotland, are, in my judgment, elaborate and satisfactory works; and were this a convenient place, I would gladly enumerate the important questions in which he has rectified my old opinions concerning the migrations of the Scythic or German nation from the neighbourhood of the Caspian and the Euxine to Scandinavia, the eastern coasts of Britain, and the shores of the Atlantic ocean. He has since undertaken to illustrate a more interesting period of the history of Scotland; his materials are chiefly drawn from papers in the British Museum, and a skilful judge has assured me, after a perusal of the manuscript, that it contains more new and authentic information than could be fairly expected from a writer of the eighteenth century. A Scotchman A Scotchman by birth, Mr. Pinkerton is equally disposed, and even anxious, to illustrate the history of England: he had long, without my knowledge, entertained a project similar to my own; his twelve letters, under a fictitious signature, in the Gentleman's Magazine (1788), display the zeal of a patriot, and the learning of an antiquarian. As soon as he was informed, by Mr. Nicol the bookseller, of my wishes and my choice, he advanced to meet me with the generous ardour of a volunteer, conscious of his strength, desirous of exercise, and careless of reward;
we have discussed, in several conversations, every material point that relates to the general plan and arrangement of the work; and I can only complain of his excessive docility to the opinions of a man much less skilled in the subject than himself. Should it be objected that such a work will surpass the powers of a single man, and that industry is best promoted by the division of labour, I must answer, that Mr. Pinkerton seems one of the children of those heroes, whose race is almost extinct; that hard assiduous study is the sole amusement of his independent leisure; that his warm inclination will be quickened by the sense of a duty resting solely on himself; and that he is now in the vigour of age and health; and that the most voluminous of our historical collections was the most speedily finished by the diligence of Muratori alone. I must add, that I know not where to seek an associate; that the operations of a society are often perplexed by the division of sentiments and characters, and often retarded by the degrees of talent and application; and that the editor will be always ready to receive the advice of judicious counsellors, and to employ the hands of subordinate workmen.
Two questions will immediately arise, concerning the title of our historical collections, and the period of time in which it may be circumscribed. The first of these questions, whether it should be styled the Scriptores Rerum Britannicarum, or the Scriptores Rerum Anglicarum, will be productive of more than a verbal difference: the former imposes the duty of publishing all original documents that relate to the history and antiquities of the British islands; the latter is satisfied with the spacious, though less ample field of England. The ambition of a conqueror might prompt him to grasp the whole British world, and to think, with Cæsar, that nothing was done while any thing remained undone.
Nil actum reputans dum quid superesset agendum.
But prudence soon discerns the inconvenience of increasing a labour already sufficiently arduous, and of multiplying the volumes of a work, which must unavo dably swell to a very respectable size. The extraneous appendages of Scotland, Ireland, and even Wales, would impede our progress, violate the unity of design, and introduce into a Latin text a strange mixture of savage and unknown idiom. For the sake of the Saxon Chronicle, the editor of the Scriptores Rerum Anglicarum will probably improve his knowledge of our mother tongue; nor will he be at a loss in the recent and occasional use of some French and English memorials. But if he attempts to hunt the old Britons among the islands of Scotland, in the bogs of Ireland, and over the mountains of Wales, he must devote himself to the study of the Celtic dialects, without being assured that his time and toil will be compensated by any adequate reward. It seems to be almost confessed, that the Highland Scots do not possess any writing of a remote date; and the claims of the Welsh are faint and uncertain. The Irish alone boast of whole libraries, which they sometimes hide in the fastnesses of their country, and sometimes transport to their colleges abroad: but the vain and
credulous obstinacy with which, amidst the light of science, they cherish the Milesian fables of their infancy, may teach us to suspect the existence, the age, and the value of these manuscripts, till they shall be fairly exposed to the eye of profane criticism. This exclusion, however, of the countries which have since been united to the crown of England must be understood with some latitude: the Chronicle of Melross is common to the borderers of both kingdoms: the Expugnatio Hiberniæ of Giraldus Cambrensis contains the interesting story of our settlement in the western isle; and it may be judged proper to insert the Latin Chronicle of Caradoc, (which yet unpublished,) and the code of native laws which were abolished by the conqueror of Wales. Even the English transactions in peace and war with our independent neighbours, especially those of Scotland, will be best illustrated by a fair comparison of the hostile narratives. The second question, of the period of time which this collection should embrace, admits of an easier decision; nor can we act more prudently, than by adopting the plan of Muratori, and the French Benedictines, who confine themselves within the limits of ten centuries, from the year 500 to the year 1500 of the Christian æra. The former of these dates coincides with the most ancient of our national writers; the latter approaches within nine years of the accession of Henry VIII., which Mr. Hume considers as the true and perfect æra of modern history. From that time we are enriched, and even oppressed, with such treasures of contemporary and authentic documents in our own language, that the historian of the present or a future age will be only perplexed by the choice of facts, and the difficulties of arrangement. Exoriatur aliquis—a man of genius, at once eloquent and philosophic, who should accomplish, in the maturity of age, the immortal work which he had conceived in the ardour of youth.
ABASSIDES, the extent of their empire
in the ninth century, 599; in the tenth
century, 602. Abdoubrahman (the Third),
his revenue in the tenth century, ibid.
Adalbert (the First), account of, 786.
Adalbert (the Second), 787. Adalbert
(the Third), enquiry into his birth, 790.
Addison, his Treatise of Ancient Medals
examined, 542; his explanation of the
35th Ode of the first Book of Horace con-
sidered, 575. Adelais, adventures of,
794. Aderfeld's History of Charles the
Twelfth, 493. Alamintus, account of his
conversation with Hannibal, 502. Albert-
Azo (the First), mentioned, 800; fixes
his residence at Ateste or Este, ibid.
Albert-Azo (the Second), his conduct and
character considered, 801; The common
father of the Italian and German Princes
of the kindred line of Este and Brunswick,
ibid. Albert-Azo (the Seventh), his
character and success, 814. D'Alembert,
his Melanges, 428; remarks upon an
observation regarding history, 687. Ale-
voerde, his life of Servetus, 515. Alfred,
character of, 600. Allamand (Mr.) his
character, 538. Alphonso (the First), ac-
count of, 818. Alphonso (the Third),
relinquishment of his power, 831; his
character, ibid. Ammonius edited by
Valcknaer, 493.
Anderson's Description
of Iceland, 538. Anglicarum Rerum
Scriptores, a new edition recommended,
839; a proper editor for the purpose
mentioned, ibid.; the extent and nature
of the design, 841. Anquetil du Perron,
his Voyage to the East Indies, 461.
Anson's Voyage, 543. Anti-Machiavel,
498. Antony Nicolas, Process of, 538.
D'Anville, his Memoir on the Getæ, 408;
his remarks on the Roman mile, 536.
Apthorpe (Mr.), his censure of Mr. Gib-
bon's description of the promised land,
724; account of his work, 751. Arabs,
their situation in the ninth century, 600.
Aristotle character of, as a critic, 642.
Aretin's Letters, 507; new Aretin, 547.
Arrian, Tactics of, 430. Astruc's History
of Languedoc, 484, 488. Augustus, his
mode of travelling, 563; his elevation con-
sidered, and the causes of it pointed out,
668. Aufaldus de Traditione, &c., 520.
Barbeyrac, his History of Ancient Trea-
ties, 483. Barclay's Argenis, 408. Bargæus,
his Dissertation de Eversoribus, &c. ex-
amined, 492. Baronius contrasted with
Dr. Middleton, 747. Barré (M. de la),
his dissertations compared with Gedoyn's,
438. Barthelemy, his Memoir on the
Monuments of Rome, 536. Bayle com-
pared with Le Clerc, 437; his Dictionary,
438; remarks on, 545; Criticism on
Maimbourg's History of Calvinism, 553.
Beau, his Memoir on the Roman Legion,
408. Beaufort (M. de), his opinions
respecting the first five ages of Rome,
644. Belley, his Explanation of a Cameo,
408; of an Agate, ibid. Berengarius, ac-
count of his conduct, 794. Bernouilli's
correspondence with Leibnitz, 538. Berta,
her vices mentioned, 792. Beyer, his Dis-
sertation on the Atlantic Island of Plato,
461. Bibliothèque Raisonnée, vol. i. 509;
ii. 515; xiii. 463; xiv. 464, 468; xv.
465; xvi. 500; xvii. 469; xviii. 470;
xix. ibid.; xx. 474; xxi. 480; xxii. 483;
xxiii. 484; xxiv. 493; xxv. 498; xxvii.
506; xxix. 520; xxx. 521; xxxi. 525;
xxxii. 526; xxxiii. 528; xxxiv. and xxxv.
530; xxxvi. xxxvii. xxxviii. and xxxix.
537; xl. 542; xli. 543; xlii. 544; xliii.
545; xliv. 546; xlv. ibid.; xlvi. 547;
xlvii. 548; xlviii. 549; xlix. ibid.; 1. 550.
Bielfield's Letters, vol. i. 470, 477.
(Abbé le), his Letters on the English, 539.
Blétérie, his Memoir on the Tribunitian
Powers of the Emperors, 407; his Life
of Julian, 465; his History of Jovian, &c.
545. Bochat, his Treatise on the Egyptian
Divinities at Rome, 464; his Remarks
on Foreign Service, 483; his Critical
Memoirs on the Swiss, 548. Boileau
compared with Juvenal, 468.
broke's Patriot King, 545. Bonamy's
Reflections on Geographical Errors cha-
racterised, 407. Boniface the Bavarian,
an account of, 781; considerations re-
garding his name, 782; his country, 783;
his title, 784; and of the province en-
trusted to his care, 785. Boniface (the
Second), account of, ibid. Borrichius de
Borso
Antiquâ Facie Romæ, 493, &c.
created duke of Modena, 816. Bowyer's
Lives of the Popes, 546. Boze (Mr.),
his Dissertation on the Medal of Smyrna,
528. Brandenburgh, Memoirs of, 547.
Britain, inundation of by the sea, men-
tioned by Tacitus, 651; inference to be
drawn from it, 652. Brunswicensium
Rerum Scriptores, edited by Leibnitz,
838. Brunswick, Antiquities of the House
of, considered, 775; division of the sub-
ject, 778. Buffon's Natural History, 546.
Burette (M. de), his Dissertation, in the
Mémoires de l'Académie, 437. Burigny,
his Life of Erasmus examined, 446. Burke,
his Enquiry into the Sublime and Beauti-
ful considered, 459.
Cæsar (Don), his surrender of Ferrara to
the Pope, 826; enquiry into his birth, 827.
Calvin, his conduct to Servetus examined,
515; his Letters to Jacques de Bourgogne,
527. Candianus, his conduct and death,
800. Castalio on the Temples of Peace
and Janus, 492. Cat (M. le), his Treatise
on the Senses, 525. Catalogue of armies,
why considered by epic poets as essential,
559. Caylus (Count de), his Disserta-
tion on Painting compared with that of
M. de la Nauze, 407; his Memoirs on
Sculpture, ibid.; on the Mausoleum, 408.
Caxton obliged to comply with the bad
taste of the times in the books he printed,
836. Cellarius compared with Emmius,
461. Chais (M. le), his Letters on
Jubilees, 548. Chapelle (M.), his Ne-
cessity of Public Worship, 538. Charles
(the Eighth), critical remarks on his title
to the Crown of Naples, 399; his in-
vestiture depended on the justice of Fre-
erick's disposition, 401. Charlevo'x's
History of France, 538. Chaufepié's
Dictionary, 547. Chelsum (Dr.) con-
trasted with Mr. Davis, 754; with Dr.
Watson, 755; his opinion respecting the
military service of the first Christians ex-
amined, ibid.; his opinion of the conduct
of Marcellus the Centurion examined,
757; his remarks on Eusebius's Eccle-
siastical History considered, 763; his
opinion of Eusebius's moral character ex-
amined, 766. Christianity, history of, in
the first three centuries, very imperfect,
749. Christina, Memoirs of, 547; the
encouragement she gave to, and advance
she made in literature, 633. Cicero de
Oratore, 455; his mode of travelling from
Rome to Cilicia minutely examined, 568.
Clemens, observations on his Epistles re-
garding Bishops, 730. Clerc (M. le),
his Bibliothèque Universelle, vol. i. 431,
432; compared with Bayle, 437; his Dis-
sertation on the Greek Middle Verb exa-
mined, and compared with Kuster's, 444;
quotation from, rectified, 726. Clogher
(Bishop of), his Essay on Spirit, 549.
Clos (M. du), his History of Louis XI.
538; his Considerations on Morals, 549.
Cluverii Antiqua Italia examined, 494,
&c.; his Remarks on the Passages of the
Alps considered, 500; his sentiments re-
specting the origin of Rome examined,
518; his general character, 527, 529.
Commerce, state of, in the fourteenth
century, 617. Concord, account of a
temple to, 479. Condamine's Travels in
Italy, 552, 553. Condillac, his Treatise
on Systems, 546. Cortesi's D alogues,
500. Courayer's Defence, &c. 469, 517.
Cragius's History of Denmark, 498. Cri-
ticism, reflections upon, 642; its mate-
rials and its employments. 643; farther
reflections, 646. Crusades, the first in
the eleventh century, 605; the advantages
derived from it, ibid.; the second crusade,
account of, 607; crusades in the thirteenth
century, account of, 612. Cumberland's
Treatise, translated by Barbeyrac, 527.
Cuper's Letters, 521.
Dalin's History of Sweden, 543, 547.
Daniel (Father), a sentiment of his, 405.
David (King), history of, 493; his Curses,
Dissertation on, 531. Davis (Mr.), answers
to his objections to the XVth and XVIth
chapters of the Decline and Fall of the
Roman Empire, 713; reasons for the an-
swer, 715; his notice of errors of the press,
718; his charge of misrepresentation ac-
counted for by the different editions con-
sulted, 719; his mention of the Jewish
history, 720; his charge of plagiarism
examined, 746. Dedications, account of,
626; one from the author to his father,
ibid. Delany's Sermons, 531. Deslandes,
his History of Philosophy, 480; his Essay
on the Marine of the Ancients, 545. Dion
(Cassius), edited by Reimar, 550; refer-
ences to, supported, 736. Ditton's De-
monstration, &c. 509. Dodwell, character
of, 431. Duchesne, his publication of Les
Historiens des Gaules et de la France, 838.
Duclos' History of Louis XI., 538.
Ebato, his poem on the Troubles of
Sicily, 539. Eccard, account of his Guel-
phica Origines, 780. Eccelin, (the First),
character of, 812. Eccelin (the Second),
account of, ibid. Eccelin, (the Third), his
character, 813. Edmonds's Negotiations,
546. Egede (Mr.), his account of a mis-
sion into Greenland, 525. Eleusis, the
most illustrious of the religious societies of
the ancients, 672. Ellis's Voyage to Hud-
son's Bay, 544. Emmius, his Geographi
cal Description of Greece, 460; compared
with Cellarius, 461. England, state of, in
the ninth century, 600; in the tenth, 602;
in the eleventh, 604; in the twelfth, 606;
in the thirteenth. 611; in the fourteenth,
615; in the fifteenth, 620. Ephemerus,
his system, 661; did not prevail till the
time of the emperors, 662. Erasmus, his
life by Burigny examined, 446; his Cice-
ronianus, 448; his Colloquia, 451; the
encouragement he gave to literature, 632.
Este, family of, their connexion with the
marquises of Tuscany examined, 791, 800,
808, 810; the decline of the family, 810;
the castle of Este taken, 813; account of
their marriages, 820; the extinction of the
legitimate race, 824; the power of their
princes, 829; their characters, ibid. Est-
rade (Count of), his Letters, 521, 525.
Eusebius, passage from, respecting the per-
secution in Egypt, 732; passage respecting
Maxentius, ibid. ; account of the Chroni
|