1755. A DESCRIPTION of PLYMOUTH, &c. 33

boats durs go off to him; and, in the morning after the storm, nothing was to be feen but the bare rock, the light-houfe being gone, in which Mr. Winstanley, and all that were with him, perished: And a few days after, a merchant ship, called the Winchelfea, homeward bound from Virginia, not knowing the light- A houfe was down, ran foul of the rock, and was loft with all her lading, and moft of her men. But there is now another light-house built on the fame rock, by the corporation of Trinity-Houle, in purfuance of an act of parliament passed in the fifth of Q. Anne.

miles up the Ham-Ouze; and, for the neatness and excellency of the work, exceed all that were ever built of the kind, being hewn out of a mine of flate, and lined with Portland ftone. The dry dock is built after the mould of a first-rate man of war, and the wet-dock will contain five of the fame bignefs. These were of courfe followed with the building of ftorehoufes and warehouses for the rigging, fails, naval and military stores, &c. for fuch fhips as may be appointed to be laid up there, with very handsome houses for the commiffioner, clerks and officers of all kinds used in the king's yards, to dwell in. It is, in fhort, now become as compleat an arfenal, or yard, for building and fitting out men of war, as any the government are poffeffed of, and perhaps much more convenient than fome of them, tho' not fo large; and this has occafioned a proportional increase of building to the town.

Plymouth, during the civil war, ad

As Plymouth lies in the bottom of this found, in the centre between the two B waters, fo there lies against it, in the fame pofition, an island, called St. Nicolas on which is a caftle that commands the entrance into Ham-Ouze, and in fome measure that into Catwater. On the shore, over-against this island, ftands, the citadel of Plymouth, a small but regular fortification, inacceffible by fea, butchered to the parliament, and, by an ob not exceeding ftrong by land; tho' they fay the works are of a stone hard as marble, and would not foon yield to an enemy's batteries; but that is a way of talking our modern engineers laugh at. It is furrounded with a deep trench, out of which was dug the ftone that built the whole citadel, which is about three quarters of a mile in compafs, and has 300 great guns on its walls, which ftand thicken towards the fea.

Several guns

are alfo planted on part of the old fort, lying almoft level with the water; all which gives the greatest fecurity to the fhips in the harbour.

D

The town ftands above the citadel, upon the fame rock, and lies floping on the E fide of it, towards the east; the inlet of 'the fea, called Catwater (which is an harbour capable of receiving any number of fhips, and of any fize) washing the eastern fhore of the town, where is a kind of natural mole, or haven, called Sutton-Pool, with a quay, and all other conveniences for bringing in veffels to load and unload; and indeed the trade carried on here is

not inconfiderable.

F

The other inlet of the fea is on the other of the town, and is called HamOuze, being the mouth of the river Tamar, which parts the two counties of Devon and Cornwall. Here, the war with France making it neceflary for the hips of war to have a retreat nearer hand than G at Portsmouth, K. William ordered a wetdock, with yards, dry-docks, launches, and conveniences of all kinds, for building and repairing of fhips, to be made. Thefe wet and dry docks are about two January, 1755.

Atinate refiftance, did more harm to the
royal caufe than any other town of the
weft; the king's army being obliged to
raife the fiege after lying before it feveral
months. K. Charles II. well knowing its
importance, built a fort on the brow of
the hill, called the Haw, which at once
commands the town, and is a defence to
the harbour. Here are two fine churches,
and two or three meeting-houses for Dif-
fenters, and French refugees; as alfo a
free-fchool, and an hofpital for blue-coat
boys.

To cure the Bite of a MAD DOG.
AKE fix ounces of rue, clean pick-
four

Ted, and bruifed in a mortar ;

ounces of mithridate, or Venice treacle ;
four spoonfuls of tin, or of the best old
pewter, fcraped, rafped or filed. Boil
them in two quarts of ale one hour, in a
clofe pan covered, over a gentle fire:
Then strain it off from the dregs, and
give of the deco&tion, three mornings fuc-
ceffively, fafting, to a man eight or nine
fpoonfuls warm; to a beast give it cold;
three or four spoonfuls to a dog, hog, or
sheep.

N. B. This decoction must be taken
within nine days after the bite.

34

Modern ART of writing HISTORY.

in all other fashions, I fhall lay before the publick a loose sketch of fuch rules as I have been able haftily to throw together for prefent ufe, till fome great and diftinguished critick may have leifure to collect his ideas,, and publish a more complete and regular fyftem of the modern art of writing history.

For the fake of brevity, I fhall enter at once upon my fubject, and addrefs my inftruction to the future hiftorian.

Jan.

fingularity, by fhewing, that his own countrymen difavowed his pretended axiom even to a proverb. Tho' we may alJow truth to the first hiftorian of any particular æra, the nature of things requires, that truth muft gradually recede in proportion to the frequency of treating the A fame period; or elfe the laft hand would be abfolutely precluded from every advantage of novelty. It is fit therefore, that we modernize the maxim of Polybius, by fubftituting the word sit in the place of truth; but as all writers are not bleffed with a ready ftere of wit, it may be neceffary to lay down fome other rules for the compiling of hiftory, in which it is expedient, that we avail ourfelves of

Remember to prefix a long preface to your hiftory, in which you will have a right to fay whatever comes into your head: For all that relates to your history may with propriety be admitted, and all that is foreign to the purpofe may claim a B place in it, because it is a preface. It will be fufficient therefore, if I give you only a hint upon the occafion, which if you manage with dexterity, or rather audacity, will ftand you in great flead.

Be fure you feize every opportunity of introducing the most extravagant commendations of Tacitus; but be careful bow you enter too minutely into any par ticulars you may have heard of that writer, for fear of difcovering that you have only heard of them. The fafest way will be to keep to the oid cuftom of abusing all other hiftorians, and vilifying them in comparison of him. But in the execution of this, let me entreat you to do a

little violence to your modefty, by avoid-D ing every infinuation that may fet him an inch above yourself.

Before you enter upon your work, it will be neceffary to diveft yourself enirely of all regard for truth.

all the artifices which either have been, or -may be made ufe of to furprise, charm, -fadden, or confound the mind of the reader.

In treating of times that have been often written upon, there can be no fuch thing as abfolute novelty; therefore the only method to be taken in such cases, is to give every occurrence a new turn. You may take the fide of Philip of Macedon against Demofthenes and the obftinate republicans; and you will have many inftances to fhew how wantonly whole feas of blood have been fhed for the fake of thofe two infatuating founds, liberty and religion. It was a lucky hit of an English biographer, that of writing the vindication and panegyric of Richard III, and I would advise you to attempt fomething of the like nature. For infance: You may undertake to fhew the unreasonablenefs of our high opinion of Q. Elizabeth, and our falfe notions of the happiness of her government. For as to lives and characters, you have one principal rule to obferve; and that is, to elevate the bad, and depreciate the good. But in writing the characters of others, always keep your own (if you have any value for it) in view; and never allow to any great perfonage a virtue which you either feel the want of, or a notorious difregard for. You may question the moral character of SoF crates, the chastity of Cyrus, the conftancy of the martyrs, the piety and fincerity of the reformers, the bravery of Cromwell, and the military talents of K. William And you need never fear the finding authorities to fupport you in any detraction among the writers of anecdotes, fince Dion Caffius, a graye histori

To conquer, this prejudice may, perhaps, coft you fome pains; but till you have effectuaily overcome it, you will find innu- E merable.difficulties continually obtruding themfelves to thwart your defign of writing an entertaining history in the modern tafle.

The next thing is to find out fome Chewd reason for rejecting all fech auentick papers as are come to light fince the period you are writing of was laft confidered: Fer it you cannot cleverly keep clear of them, you will be obliged to make use of them, and then your performance may be called dull and dry; which is a cenfure you ought as carefully to avoid, as to contend for that famous compl ment which was paid the author of the Hiftory of Charles XII by his oft illuftrious patron, who is himfelf an hiftorian, Plus beau que la verité.

I am aware of the maxim of Polybius, That hiftory void of truth, is an empty Hadow." But the motto of this paper may larve ty convict that dogmalift of

Gan, has confidently afferted that Cicero prostituted his wife, trained up his fon in drunkenness, committed inceft with his daughter, and lived in adultery with Ceruilia.

-I

1755. Extravagant modern Ornaments of HISTORY.

On

I come next to ornaments ; under, which head I confider fentences, prodigies, digreffions and defcriptions. the two firit I shall not detain you, as it will be fufficient to recommend a free use of them, and to he new if you can. Of digreffions you may make the greatest use, by calling them to your aid whenever you A are at a fault. If you want to fwell your history to a folio, and have only matter for an octavo (fuppofe, for example, it were the story of Alexander) you may enter into an enquiry of what that adventurer would have done if he had not been poifoned Whether his conquefts, or Kouli Khan's were the most extraordi

nary: What would have been the confequence of his marching weftward; and whether he would have beat the duke of Marlborough. You may alfo introduce

Do

B

35.

have occafion to fend meffengers thro' an uninhabited country, do not be overtender or fcrupulous how to treat them. You may ftop them at rivers, and drown all their fervants and horfes: Infeft them with fleas. lice and mufquitos; and when they have been eaten fufficiently with these vermin, you may farve them to a de fire of eating one another; and if you think it will be an ornament to your hiftory, e'en catt the lets and fet them to dinner. But if you do this, you must take care that the favage chief to whom they are fent, does not treat them with man's flesh; because it will be no novelty: I would rather advife you to alter the bill of fare to an elephant, a rhinoceros, or an allegator. The king and his court will of course be drinking out of human fkulls; but what fort of liquor you can fill them with, to furprife an European, I must own I cannot conceive. In treating of the Indian manners and cuftoms, you may make a long chapter of their conjuring, their idolatrous ceremonies, and fuperftitions; which will give you a fair opportunity of faying fomething fmart on the religion of your own country. On their marriages you cannot dwell too long; for it is a pleafing fubject, and always in thofe countries, leads to polygamy, which will afford occasion for reflections moral and entertaining. When D your meffengers have their audience of the king, you may as well drop the bugnefs they went upon, and take notice only of his civilities and politenefs in offering to them the choice of all the beauties of his court; by which you will make them amends for all the difficulties you have led them into.

in this place a differtation upon fire-arms, or the art of fortification. In defcriptions you must not be sparing, but out-go every thing that has been attempted before you. Let your battles be the moft C bloody, your fieges the moft obftinate, your caftles the most impregnable, your commanders the moft confummate, and , their foldiers the most intrepid. In defcribing a fea-fight, let the enemy's feet be the most numerous, and their ships the largest that ever were known. not fcruple to burn a thousand thips, and turn their crews half fcorched into the fea; there let them furvive awhile by fwimming, that you may have an opportunity of jamming them between their own and the enemy's veffels: And when you have gone thro' the dreadful diftreffes of the action, conclude by blowing up the admiral's own fhip, and scattering officers of the greatest birth and bravery in E the air. In the facking of a town, murder all the old men and young children in the cruellest manner, and in the moft facred retreats. Devife fome ingenious in.fults on the modefty of matrons. Ravish a great number of virgins, and fee that they are all in the height of beauty and purity of innocence. When you have fired all the houfes, and cut the throats of ten times the number of inhabitants they contained, exercife all manner of barbarity on the dead bodies. And that you may extend the fcene of mifery, let fome efcape, but all naked; tear their uncovered limbs ; cut their feet for want of fhoes; harden the hearts of the peafants against them, and arm the elements with G unufual rigour for their perfecution : Drench them with rain, benumb them with froft, and terrify them with thunder and lightning.

If in writing voyages and travels, you

F

I cannot promife you much fuccefs in the fpeeches of your favages, unless it were poffible to hit upon fome bolder figures and metaphors than thofe which have been fo frequently used. In the fpeeches of a civilized people, infat whatever may ferve to difplay your own learning, judgment or wit; and let no man's low extraction be a refraint on the advantages of your education. If in an harangue of Wat Tyler a quotation from the clafficks fhould come in pat, or in a fbeech of Muley Moluch a fentence from Mr. Locke, let no confideration deprive your hiftory of fuch ornaments.

To conclude, I would advise you in goneral not to be fparing of your fpeeches, either in number or length and if you alio take care to add a proper quantity of reflections, your work will be greedily bought up by all members of oratories, reafoning focieties, and other talkative affemblies of this eloquent metropolis.

TEMPUS FUGIT. A New Song.
The Words by a Gentleman.

In vain the fleeting clouds we chide, Or bid the

ftay, Like them does time our