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IV. An Essay upon the Principles of Historical Composition, with an Application of those Principles to the Writings of Tacitus
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 January 2013
Extract
Few literary exertions put the author's abilities to a severer test than the composition of history. The poet may create a subject for himself, or he may adopt one that is but imperfectly known. In the composition of an epic poem, he instructs and pleases by exhibiting such a train of actions as might have taken place, and, unless he violates probability, his invention may bid defiance to restraint. If his work be imperfect, he has himself to blame, as those very powers which give the form to his subject, gave it first its existence.
- Type
- Papers Read Before the Society
- Information
- Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , 1788 , pp. 76 - 98
- Copyright
- Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1788
References
page 77 note * Pulchrum imprimis videtur, non pati occidere quibus æternitas debeatur, aliorumque famam cum sua extendere. Plin. lib. 5. epist. 8.
page 79 note * Intelliges actum hoc, ut tu scires quid illi placeret, non ut ille placeret tibi. Sen. Ep. 100.
page 80 note * Ὁτι καθαπερ εμψυχɤ σωματος των οψεων εξαιρεθεισων αχρειɤται το ὁλον, ɤ̔τως εξ ἱροριας εαν αρης την αληθειαν, το καταλειπομενον αυτης ανωφελες γιγνεται διηγημα.
page 83 note * Hor. de Arte Poëtica, v. 39.
page 84 note * Tu tamen jam nunc cogita, quæ potissimum tempora aggrediar. Vetera et scripta aliis? parata inquisitio sed onerosa collatio: Intacta et nova? graves offensæ, levis gratia. Nam præter id, quod in tantis vitiis hominum plura culpanda sunt, quam laudanda, turn si laudaveris, parcus: Si culpaveris, nimius fuisse dicaris: Quamvis illud plenissime, hoc restrictissime seceris. Plin. lib. 5. ep. 8.
page 85 note * Τɤ δη Συγγραφεως εργον ἑν, ως επραχθη ειπειν,
page 85 note † Occasiones autem redeunt in orbem, et quod olim erat commodum rursus adhiberi et prodesse potest. Bacon de Aug. Scient. lib. 2. c. 12.
page 85 note ‡ Ξενος εν τοις βιβλιοις, καὶ απολις, αυτονομος, αβασιλευτος, ɤ τε τωδε η τωδε δοξει λογιζομενος, αλλα· τι πεπρακται λεγων. Πως δει ἱςορ. συγγε..
page 86 note * Bacon de Aug. Scient. l. 2. c. 10.
page 89 note * Virg. Æn. xii. 439.
page 92 note * Ann. l. 4. c. 64.
page 95 note * Θουκυδ. το δευτ. κεφ. νέ..
page 96 note * Ann. l. 14. c. 63.
page 97 note * Θουκυδ. το ἑβδ. κεφ. πδ´..
page 97 note † Hist. l. 3. c. 85.
page 98 note * See the Second Part of this Paper afterwards.