The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

LETTERS, TRACTS, [s'c» 42fuppofed oiFspring of leifure,Even fcience itfelf, thepined in the (hade of monaftic retirement. Men ata diflance from the obje6ls of ufeful knowledge, untouchedby the motives that animate an active and avigorous mind, could produce only the jargon oftechnical language, tmd accumulate the impertinenceof academical forms."Chap. 47. I perhaps may flatter myfelf, that in thechoice of my fubjedl, and the execution of it, I haveavailed myfelf of the plan and rules for writing hiftory,laid down and recommended by the connoifleursin belles lettres ; I have followed the plan of the illuftrioushiilorians who wrote the Catalinarian confpiracv,the Jugurthine war, and the retreat of the tenthoufand Greeks. The hiftory which I prefent totHe reader hath unity to recommend it ; it defcribesone great, important, and uncommon a'flion ; an actionwhich "hath a beginning, a middle, and an end;and, in this refpe(£):, refembling a theatrical performance,moulded into proper form, by the diredlions ofthe great mafter of critics. But whatever praife Imay merit, on account of this unity, or whatevermay be thought of the manner in which I have digeftedmy materials, I fuppofe my language may appearcarolefs, and my ftyle incorrect. I fear I fhouidmake but an unavailing and hopelefs apology, fhouidI here declare in how fhort a time I have tranllatcdand compofed this work.—When I had hardly putpen to paper, I heard that an ingenious friend ofmine had'prepared a hiftory of the above trial : Andif he had publillied it, he would have fuperfeded mylabour, and the neceffity of this hafty produftionfor, from the knowledge I have of him, I make notthe lead doubt but his account bears the marks bothof accuracy and candour. The fadls, indeed, in hishiftory and mine, are and muft be the fame 5 thoughit is not to be expelled, and perhaps is not poflible,that two writers ihould fet off the fame fa6ts with