Thisuse，mylord，whichImaketheproperandprincipaluseofthestudyofhistory，isnotinsistedonbythosewhohavewrittenconcerningthemethodtobefollowedinthisstudy：andsinceweproposedifferentends，wemustofcoursetakedifferentways。Fewoftheirtreatiseshavefallenintomyhands：one，themethodofBodin，amanfamousinhistime，Iremembertohaveread。Itookitupwithmuchexpectationmanyyearsago；Iwentthroughit，andremainedextremelydisappointed。Hemighthavegivenalmostanyothertitletohisbookasproperlyasthatwhichstandsbeforeit。Therearenotmanypagesinitthatrelateanymoretohissubjectthanatediousfifthchapter，whereinheaccountsforthecharactersofnationsaccordingtotheirpositionsontheglobe，andaccordingtotheinfluenceofthestars；andassureshisreaderthatnothingcanbemorenecessarythansuchadisquisition；
　　“aduniversamhistoriarumcognitionem，etincorruptumearumjudicium。“
　　Inhismethod，wearetotakefirstageneralviewofuniversalhistory，andchronology，inshortabstracts，andthentostudyallparticularhistoriesandsystems。Senecaspeaksofmenwhospendtheirwholelivesinlearninghowtoactinlife，“dumvitaeinstrumentaconquirunt。“IdoubtthatthismethodofBodinwouldconductusinthesame，orasbadaway；
　　wouldleaveusnotimeforaction，orwouldmakeusunfitforit。Ahugecommon-placebook，whereinalltheremarkablesayingsandfactsthatwefindinhistoryaretoberegistered，mayenableamantotalkorwritelikeBodin，butwillnevermakehimabetterman，norenablehimtopromote，likeanusefulcitizen，thesecurity，thepeace，thewelfare，orthegrandeurofthecommunitytowhichhebelongs。Ishallproceedthereforetospeakofamethodthatleadstosuchpurposesasthesedirectlyandcertainly，withoutanyregardtothemethodsthathavebeenprescribedbyothers。
　　Ithinkthenwemustbeonourguardagainstthisveryaffectationoflearning，andthisverywantonnessofcuriosity，whichtheexamplesandpreceptswecommonlymeetwitharecalculatedtoflatterandindulge。Wemustneitherdwelltoolonginthedark，norwanderabouttillweloseourwayinthelight。Wearetooapttocarrysystemsofphilosophybeyondallourideas，andsystemsofhistorybeyondallourmemorials。Thephilosopherbeginswithreason，andendswithimagination。Thehistorianinvertsthisorder：hebeginswithoutmemorials，andhesometimesendswiththem。Thissillycustomissoprevalentamongmenofletterswhoapplythemselvestothestudyofhistory，andliassomuchprejudiceandsomuchauthorityonthesideofit，thatyourlordshipmustgivemeleavetospeakalittlemoreparticularlyandplainlythanIhavedone，infavorofcommonsenseagainstanabsurditywhichisalmostsanctified。
　　ReflectionsontheStateofAncientHistoryThenatureofman，andtheconstantcourseofhumanaffairs，renderitimpossiblethatthefirstagesofanynewnationwhichformsitself，shouldaffordauthenticmaterialsforhistory。Wehavenonesuchconcerningtheoriginalsofanyofthosenationsthatactuallysubsist，Shallweexpecttofindthemconcerningtheoriginalsofnationsdispersed，orextinguished，twoorthreethousandyearsago？Ifathreadofdarkanduncertaintraditions，therefore，ismade，asitcommonlyis，theintroductiontohistory，weshouldtouchitlightly，andrunswiftlyoverit，farfrominsistingonit，eitherasauthorsorreaders。Suchintroductionsareatbestnomorethanfancifulpreludes，thattrytheinstruments，andprecedetheconcert。Hemustbevoidofjudgment，andtaste，onewouldthink，whocantakethefirstfortruehistory，orthelastfortrueharmony。Andyetsoithasbeen，andsoitis，notinGermanyandHollandalone；butinItaly，inFrance，andinEngland，wheregeniushasabounded，andtastehasbeenlongrefined。Ourgreatscholarshavedealtanddealinfablesatleastasmuchasourpoets，withthisdifferencetothedisadvantageoftheformer，towhomImayapplytheremarksasjustlyasSenecaappliedittothedialecticians——“tristiusineptisunt。
　　Illiexprofessiolasciviunt；hiagereseipsosaliquidexistimant，“
　　Learnedmen，inlearnedandinquisitiveages，whopossessedmanyadvantagesthatwehavenot，andamongothersthatofbeingplacedsomanycenturiesnearertheoriginaltruthsthataretheobjectsofsomuchlaborioussearch，despairedoffindingthem，andgavefairwarningtoposterity，ifposteritywouldhavetakenit。Theancientgeographers，asPlutarchsaysinthelifeofTheseus，whentheylaiddownintheirmapsthelittleextentofseaandlandthatwasknowntothem，leftgreatspacesvoid。Insomeofthesespacestheywrote，Herearesandydeserts，inothers，Hereareimpassablemarshes，Hereisachainofinhospitablemountains，orHereisafrozenocean。Justsobothheandotherhistorians，whentheyrelatedfabulousoriginals，werenotwantingtosetouttheboundsbeyondwhichtherewasneitherhistorynorchronology。CensorinushaspreservedthedistinctionofthreeerasestablishedbyVarro。ThislearnedRomanantiquarydidnotdeterminewhetherthefirstperiodhadanybeginning，butfixedtheendofitatthefirst，thatis，accordingtohim，theOgygian，deluge；whichheplaced，Ithink，somecenturiesmorebackwardthanJuliusAfricanusthoughtfittoplaceitafterwards。Tothiseraofabsolutedarknesshesupposedthatakindoftwilightsucceeded，fromtheOgygiandelugetotheOlympicera，andthishecalledthefabulousage。FromthisvulgarerawhenCoraebuswascrownedvictor，andlongafterthetrueerawhenthesegameswereinstitutedbyIphitus，theGreekspretendtobeabletodigesttheirhistorywithsomeorder，clearness，andcertainty。
　　Varrothereforelookedonitasthebreakofday，orthebeginningofthehistoricalage。Hemightdosotherather，perhaps，becauseheincludedbyitthedatehelikewisefixed，or，uponrecollection，thattheelderCatohadfixed，ofthefoundationofRomewithintheperiodfromwhichhesupposedthathistoricaltruthwastobefound。Butyetmostcertainitis，thatthehistoryandchronologyoftheagesthatfollowareasconfusedanduncertain，asthehistoryandchronologyofthosewhichimmediatelyprecedethisera。
　　I。TheStateofAncientProfaneHistoryTheGreeksdidnotbegintowriteinprosetillPherecidesofSyrosintroducedthecustom：andCadmusMilesiuswastheirfirsthistorian。Nowthesemenflourishedlongafterthetrue，oreventhevulgarOlympicera；forJosephusaffirms，andinthishehasgreatprobabilityonhisside，thatCadmusMilesius，andAcusilausArgivus，inaword，theoldesthistoriansinGreece，wereverylittlemoreancientthantheexpeditionofthePersiansagainsttheGreeks。
　　AsseveralcenturiespassedbetweentheOlympiceraandthesefirsthistorians，therepassedlikewiseseveralmorebetweentheseandthefirstGreekchronologers。
　　TimaeusaboutthetimeofPtolemyPhiladelphus，andEratosthenesaboutthatofPtolemyEvergetes，seemfirsttohavedigestedtheeventsrecordedbythem，accordingtotheOlympiads。PrecedentwritersmentionedsometimestheOlympiads；butthisruleofreckoningwasnotbroughtintoestablishedusesooner。Therulecouldnotservetorenderhistorymoreclearandcertaintillitwasfollowed：itwasnotfollowedtillaboutfivehundredyearsaftertheOlympicera。ThereremainsthereforenopretencetoplacethebeginningofthehistoricalagesohighasVarroplacedit，byfivehundredyears。
　　Hellanicusindeedandotherspretendedtogivetheoriginalsofcitiesandgovernments，andtodeducetheirnarrationsfromgreatantiquity。Theirworksarelost，butwecanjudgehowinconsiderablethelossis，bythewritingsofthatagewhichremain，andbythereportofthosewhohadseentheothers。
　　Forinstance，HerodotuswascotemporarywithHellanicus。Herodotuswasinquisitiveenoughinallconscience，andproposedtopublishallhecouldlearnoftheantiquitiesoftheIonians，Lydians，Phrygians，Egyptians，Babylonians，Medes，andPersians：thatis，ofalmostallthenationswhowereknowninhistimetoexist。IfhewroteAssyriacs，wehavethemnot：butwearesurethatthiswordwasusedproverbiallytosignifyfabulouslegends；soonafterhistime，andwhenthemodeofpublishingsuchrelationsandhistoriesprevailedamongtheGreeks。
　　Intheninebookswehave，hegoesbackindeedalmosttotheOlympicera，withouttakingnoticeofithowever；buthegoesbackonlytotellanoldwoman’stale，ofakingwholosthiscrownforshowinghiswifenakedtohisfavorite；andfromCandaulesandGygeshehastens，orratherhetakesagreatleap，downtoCyprus。
　　SomethinglikeathreadofhistoryoftheMedesandthenofthePersians，totheflightofXerxes，whichhappenedinhisowntime，iscarriedon。Theeventsofhisowntimearerelatedwithanairofhistory。ButallaccountsoftheGreeksaswellasthePersians，whichprecedethese，andalltheaccountswhichhegivesoccasionallyofothernations，weredrawnupmostmanifestlyonbroken，perplexed，anddoubtfulscrapsoftradition。Hehadneitheroriginalrecords，noranyauthenticmemorialstoguidehim，andyetthesearethesolefoundationsoftruehistory。Herodotusflourished，Ithink，littlemorethanhalfacentury，andXenophonlittlemorethanawholecentury，afterthedeathofCyrus：andyethowvariousandrepugnantaretherelationsmadebythesetwohistorians，ofthebirth，life，anddeathofthisprince？Ifmorehistorieshadcomedownfromtheseagestoours，theuncertaintyandinutilityofthemallwouldbebutthemoremanifest。WeshouldfindthatAcusilausrejectedthetraditionsofHesiod，thatHellanicuscontradictedAcusilaus，thatEphorusaccusedHellanicus，thatTimaeusaccusedEphorus，andallposteriorwritersTimaeus。ThisisthereportofJosephus。But，inordertoshowtheignoranceandfalsehoodofallthosewritersthroughwhomthetraditionsofprofaneantiquitycametotheGreeks，IwillquotetoyourlordshipamuchbetterauthoritythanthatofJosephus；theauthorityofonewhohadnoprejudicetobiashim，noparticularcausetodefend，norsystemofancienthistorytoestablish，andallthehelps，aswellastalents，necessarytomakehimacompetentjudge。ThemanImeanisStrabo。
　　SpeakingoftheMassagetaeinhiseleventhbook，hewritestothiseffect：
　　thatnoauthorhadgivenatrueaccountofthem，thoughseveralhadwrittenofthewarthatCyruswagedagainstthem；andthathistorianshadfoundaslittlecreditinwhattheyhadrelatedconcerningtheaffairsofthePersians，Medes，andSyrians：thatthiswasduetotheirfolly；forobservingthatthosewhowrotefablesprofessedlywereheldinesteem，thesemenimaginedtheyshouldrendertheirwritingsmoreagreeable，if，undertheappearanceandpretenceoftruehistory，theyrelatedwhattheyhadneitherseennorheardfrompersonsabletogivethemtrueinformation；andthataccordinglytheironlyaimhadbeentodressuppleasingandmarvellousrelations：thatonemaybettergivecredittoHesiodandHomer，whentheytalkoftheirheroes，nay，eventodramaticpoets，thantoCtesias，Herodotus，Hellanicus，andtheirfollowers：thatitisnotsafetogivecrediteventothegreatestpartofthehistorianswhowroteconcerningAlexander；sincetheytoo，encouragedbythegreaterreputationofthisconqueror，bythedistancetowhichhecarriedhisarms，andbythedifficultyofdisprovingwhattheysaidofactionsperformedinregionssoremote，wereapttodeceive：thatindeedwhentheRomanempireononeside，andtheParthianontheother，cametoextendthemselves，thetruthofthingsgrewtobebetterknown。
　　Yousee，mylord，notonlyhowlateprofanehistorybegantobewrittenbytheGreeks，buthowmuchlateritbegantobewrittenwithanyregardtotruth；andconsequentlywhatwretchedmaterialsthelearnedmen，whoaroseaftertheageofAlexander，hadtoemploy，whentheyattemptedtoform。systemsofancienthistoryandchronology。WehavesomeremainsofthatlaboriouscompilerDiodorusSiculus，butdowefindinhimanythreadofancienthistory，Imean，thatwhichpassesforancientinhistime？whatcomplaints，onthecontrary，doeshenotmakeofformerhistorians？howfranklydoesheconfessthelittleanduncertainlighthehadtofollowinhisresearches？YetDiodorus，aswellasPlutarch，andothers，hadnotonlytheolderGreekhistorians，butthemoremodernantiquaries，whopretendedtohavesearchedintotherecordsandregistersofnations，evenatthattimerenownedfortheirantiquity。
　　Berosus，forinstance，andManetho，oneaBabylonianandtheotheranEgyptianpriest，hadpublishedtheantiquitiesoftheircountriesinthetimeofthePtolemys。Berosuspretendedtogivethehistoryoffourhundredandeightyyears。Pliny，ifIrememberright，forIsaythisonmemory，speakstothiseffectinthesixthbookofhisNaturalHistory：andifitwasso，theseyearswereprobablyyearsofNabonassar。Manethobeganhishistory，Godknowswhen，fromtheprogressofIsis，orsomeotheraswellascertainedperiod。
　　HefollowedtheEgyptiantraditionofdynasticsofgodsanddemi-gods；andderivedhisanecdotesfromthefirstMercury，whohadinscribedtheminsacredcharacters，onantediluvianpillars，antediluvianatleastaccordingtoourreceivedchronology，fromwhichthesecondMercuryhadtranscribedthem，andinsertedthemintohisworks。Wehavenottheseantiquities；forthemonkofViterbowassoondetected：andifwehadthem，theywouldeitheraddtoouruncertainty，andincreasethechaosoflearning，ortellusnothingworthourknowledge。ForthusIreason。HadtheygivenparticularandhistoricalaccountsconformabletothescripturesoftheJews，Josephus，JuliusAfricanus，andEusebiuswouldhavemadequiteotherextractsfromtheirwritings，andwouldhavealteredandcontradictedthemless。Theaccountstheygive，therefore，wererepugnanttosacredwrit，ortheyweredefective：theywouldhaveestablishedPyrrhonism，orhavebalkedourcuriosity。