es with the Principal_ History, _which seems to me as if they
reason'd Ill; in Effect the Curiosity of the Reader is deceiv'd by
this Deviation from the Subject, which retards the Pleasure he wou'd
have in seeing the End of an Event; it relishes of a Secret
Displeasure in the Author, which makes him soon lose Sight of those
Persons with whom he began to be in Love; besides the vast Number of
Actors who have such different Interests, embarresses his Memory,
and causes some Confusion in his Brain, because 'tis necessary for
the Imagination to labour to recal the several Interests and
Characters of the Persons spoken of, and by which they have
interrupted the_ History.

_For the Reader's better Understanding, we ought not to chuse too
Ancient Accidents, nor unknown Heroes, which are fought for in a
Barbarous Countrey, and too far distant in Time, for we care little
for what was done a Thousand Years ago among the_ Tartars _or_
Ayssines.

_The Names of Persons ought to have a Sweetness in them, for a
Barbarous Name disturbs the Imagination; as the Historian describes
the Heroes to his Fancy, so he ought to give them Qualities which
affect the Reader, and which fixes him to his Fortune; but he ought
with great Care to observe the Probability of Truth, which consists
in saying nothing but what may Morally be believed._

_For there are Truths that are not always probable; as for Example
'tis an allowed Truth in the_ Roman History _that_ Nero _put his
Mother to Death, but 'tis a Thing against all Reason and Probability
that a Son shou'd embrue his Hand in the Blood of his own Mother; it
is also no less probable that a Single Captain shou'd at the Head of
a Bridge stop a whole Army, although 'tis probable that a small
Number of Soldiers might stop, in Defiles, Prodigious Armies,
because the Situation of the Place favours the Design, and renders
them almost Equal. He that writes a True History ought to place the
Accidents as they Naturally happen, without endeavouring to sweeten
them for to procure a greater Credit, because he is not obliged to
answer for their Probability; but he that composes a History to his
Fancy, gives his Heroes what Characters he pleases; and places the
Accidents as he thinks fit, without believing he shall be
contradicted by other Historians, therefore he if obliged to Write
nothing that is improbable; 'tis nevertheless allowable that an
Historian shows the Elevation of his_ Genius, _when advancing
I