parties, who, though they concurred in the measure, retained even in their union, all their respective tenets and fundamental distinctions. According to his first crude conceptions of the work, it would, as far as I recollect, have begun at the Revolution; but he altered his mind, after a careful perusal of the latter part of Hume's history. An apprehension of the false impressions which that great historian's partiality, might have left on the mind of his readers, induced him to go back to the accession of King James the Second, and even to prefix an Introductory Chapter, on the character and leading events, of the times immediately preceding. From the moment his labour commenced, he generally spoke of his plan as extending no further than the settlement at the Revolution. His friends, however, were not without hopes, that' the habit of composition might engage him more deeply in literary undertakings, or that the different views which the course of his enquiries would open, might ultimately allure him on further in the history of his country. Some casual 'expressions, both in conversation and corre spondence, seemed to imply that the possibility of such a result was not entirely out of his own contemplation. He acknowledged that some papers which I had the good fortune to procure in Spain, though they did not relate to his period exactly, might be very useful to him, and at all events "entertaining; nay, possibly, that they might "make him go on further than he intended."* -As his work advanced, his allusions to various literary projects, such as an edition of Dryden, a Defence of Racine and the French Stage, Essay on the Beauties of Euripides, &c. &c. became more frequent, and were more confidently expressed. In a letter written to me in 1803, after observing, that a modern writer did not sufficiently admire Racine, he adds—“ It puts me quite "in a passion. Je veux contre eux faire un jour un gros livre, as Voltaire says. Even Dryden, "who speaks with proper respect of Corneille vilipends† Racine. If ever I publish my edi❝tion of his works, I will give it him for it, you 66 MS. Correspondence. Mr. Fox often used this word in ridicule of pedantic expressions. 66 66 may depend. Oh how I wish that I could make up my mind to think it right, to devote all the remaining part of my life to such subjects, and “such only! Indeed I rather think I shall; and yet, if there were a chance of re-establishing a strong Whig party, (however composed,) "Non adeo has exosa manus victoria fugit Even while his undertaking was yet fresh, in the course of an enquiry into some matters relating to the trial of Somerset, in King James the First's reign, he says to his correspondent, "But what is all this, you will say, to my his 66 66 6.6 tory? Certainly nothing; but one historical "enquiry leads to another; and I recollect that "the impression upon my mind was, that there was more reason than is generally allowed, for suspecting that Prince Henry was poisoned by Somerset, and that the King knew of it after "the fact. This is not, to be sure, to my pre"sent purpose; but I have thought of prefixing "to my work, if it ever should be finished, a disquisition upon Hume's History of the 66 Stewarts, and in no part of it would his partiality appear stronger, than in James the "First."* About the same time he talked of writing, either in the form of a dedication, or dialogue, a treatise on the three arts of Poetry, History, and Oratory; which, to my surprize, he classed in the order I have related. The plan of such a work seemed, in a great measure, to be digested in his head, and from the sketch he drew of his design to me, it would, if completed, have been an invaluable monument of the great originality of thought, and singular philosophical acuteness, with which he was accustomed to treat of such subjects in his most careless conversations. But though a variety of literary projects might occasionally come across him, he was very cautious of promising too much; for he was aware, that whatever he undertook, his progress in it would necessarily be extremely slow. He could not but foresee, that as new events arose, his friends would urge him to return to politicks; and though his own inclinations might enable him to resist * MS. Correspondence to Lord Lauderdale. 2 very their entreaties, the discussion on the propriety of yielding, would produce an attention to the state of publick affairs, and divert him in some degree from the pursuit in which he was engaged. But it was yet more difficult to fortify himself against the seductions of his own inclination, which was continually drawing him off from his historical researches, to critical enquiries, to the study of the classicks, and to works of imagination and poetry. Abundant proof exists of the effect of these interruptions, both on his labours and on his mind. His letters are filled with complaints, of such as arose from politicks, while he speaks with delight and complacency of whole days devoted to Euripides and Virgil. The scale which his various pursuits occupied in his estimation, is very naturally described in several of his letters. And as it is not entirely foreign to the purpose of this Preface, my readers may not be displeased with the insertion of one, as a specimen of his familiar correspondence. |