their first conceptions, he threw on paper ideas, hints, and observations which occurred in his readings-many of them, indeed, were not connected with his history, but were afterwards inserted in some of his other works. Even Gibbon tells us of his Roman History, "at the outset all was dark and doubtful; even the title of the work, the true æra of the decline and fall of the empire, the limits of the introduction, the division of the chapters, and the order of the narration; and I was often tempted to cast away the labour of seven years." Akenside has exquisitely described the progress and the pains of genius in its delightful reveries, Pleasures of Imagination, B. iii. v. 373. The pleasures of composition in an ardent genius were never so finely described as by Buffon. Speaking of the hours of composition he said, "These are the most luxurious and delightful moments of life: moments which have often enticed me to pass fourteen hours at my desk in a state of transport; this gratification more than glory is my reward!" The publication of Gibbon's Memoirs conveyed to the world a faithful picture of the most fervid industry; it is in youth, the foundations of such a sublime edifice as his history must be laid. The world can now trace how this Colossus of eru dition, day by day, and year by year, prepared himself for some vast work. Gibbon has furnished a new idea in the art of reading! We ought, says he, not to attend to the order of our books, so much as of our thoughts. "The perusal of a particular work gives birth perhaps to ideas unconnected with the subject it treats; I pursue these ideas, and quit my proposed plan of reading." Thus in the midst of Homer he read Longinus; a chapter of Longinus led to an epistle of Pliny; and having finished Longinus, he followed the train of his ideas of the sublime and beautiful in the inquiry of Burke, and concluded with comparing the ancient with the modern Longinus. Of all our popular writers the most experienced reader was Gibbon, and he offers an important advice to an author engaged on a particular subject. "I suspended my perusal of any new book on the subject till I had reviewed all that I knew, or believed, or had thought on it, that I might be qualified to discern how much the authors added to my original stock." These are valuable hints to students, and such have been practised by others. Ancillon was a very ingenious student; he seldom read a book throughout without reading in his progress many others; his library-table was always covered with a number of books for the most part open; this variety of authors bred no confusion; they all assisted to throw light on the same topic; he was not disgusted by frequently seeing the same thing in different writers; their opinions were so many new strokes, which completed the ideas which he had conceived. The celebrated Father Paul studied in the same manner. He never passed over an interesting subject till he had confronted a variety of authors. In historical researches he never would advance, till he had fixed, once for all, the places, times, and opinions—a mode of study which appears very dilatory, but in the end will make a great saving of time, and labour of mind; those who have not pursued this method are all their lives at a loss to settle their opinions and their belief, from the want of having once brought them to such a test. I shall now offer a plan of Historical Study, and a calculation of the necessary time it will occupy without specifying the authors; as I only propose to animate a young student, who feels he has not to number the days of a patriarch, that he should not be alarmed at the vast labyrinth, historical researches present to his eye. If we look into public libraries, more than thirty thousand volumes of history may be found. Lenglet du Fresnoy, one of the greatest readers, calculated that he could not read, with satisfaction, more than ten hours a day, and ten pages in folio an hour; which makes 100 pages every day. Supposing each volume to contain 500 pages, every month would amount to one volume and a half, which makes 18 volumes in folio in the year. In fifty years, a student could only read 900 volumes in folio. All this, too, supposing uninterrupted health, and an intelligence as rapid as the eyes of the laborious researcher. A man can hardly study to advantage till past twenty, and at fifty his eyes will be dimmed, and his head stuffed with much reading that should never be read. His fifty years for the 900 volumes are reduced to thirty years, and 500 volumes! And, after all, the universal historian must resolutely face thirty thousand volumes! But to cheer the historiographer, he shows, that a public library is only necessary to be consulted; it is in our private closet where should be found those few writers, who direct us to their rivals, without jealousy, and mark, in the vast career of time, those who are worthy to instruct posterity. His calculation proceeds on this plan,—that six hours a day, and the term of ten years, are sufficient to pass over, with utility, the immense field of history. He calculates this alarming extent of historical ground. For a knowledge of Sacred History he gives 3 months. Ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria, modern Assyria or Persia Greek History 1 do. 6 do. Roman History by the moderns 7 do. Roman History by the original writers.. 48 do. ticular.... Modern History.. To this may be added for recurrences and re-perusals .. The total will amount to 10 years. Thus, in ten years and a half, a student in history has obtained an universal knowledge, and this on a plan which permits as much leisure as every student would choose to indulge. As a specimen of Du Fresnoy's calculations take that of Sacred History. For reading Pere Calmet's learned disserta tions in the order he points out For Pere Calmet's History, in 2 vols. 4to. (now in 4) For Prideaux's History.... For Josephus.. 12 days. 12 10 12 20 In all 66 days. For Basnage's History of the Jews........ He allows, however, 90 days, for obtaining a sufficient knowledge of Sacred History. VOL. IV. K |