Of the art both of writing & judging of history with reflections upon ancient as well as modern historians, shewing through what defects there are so few good, and that it is impossible there should be many so much as tolerable / by the Jesuit Father Le-Moyne.

CHAP. IX. Whether the Law of Truth obliges the Historian to keep nothing to himself? Whether nothing be owing to the publick Vertue and good Ex∣ample? Whether 'tis not better to Suppress the Vices of the Great, than publish them.

THere remains to examine, whether an Historian can in Conscience, and without Scandal, bloody and defile his Paper with infinite Cruelties and Filth, to which he will be obliged, in case he ob∣serves the second Rule, To hold no∣thing from the Truth. If I may be

credited, all these things ought to be Sacrificed to the Innocence of Hi∣story, and the publick Vertue.

First, History that ought to be the Governess of Life, and Guide of our Actions, becomes a Scandalous Governess, a Dissolute Guide, by the ill Examples she exposes; that have so much more weight the higher they descend. Is there a more In∣famous School of Vice, a more Vil∣lainous place of Scandal, and more Dangerous, than the History of the Twelve Cesars writ by Suetonius? And without mounting so high, have we not lately seen with what Boldness the publick Vertue has been violated by a Scandalous De∣tracting History, that was intro∣duced into all the Closets and Stre••ts, and sullied with its Filth, even the Spouse of Jesus Christ? How many Maids and Women, by the reading of this Petronius Travesty, have ceased to be what they were before, and said after the Example of the young Debauchee in the Comedy

mentioned by St. Austin, Why should not I do as such a Dutchess, What such a Princess has done? Owe I more to my Conscience, more to my Reputa∣tion, than they owe to theirs? And by what right shall Vertue, so free in a Palace, be constrain'd in a Pri∣vate House?

Secondly, The Pen gives no right to meddle with the Reputation of others. If Detraction of one Person from another, be a Sin against the Laws of Charity and Justice, what will be that of an Historian, that is a publick Person, made in the sight and hearing of all People and all Ages?

On the other side, Truth being to History as Form to Matter, if the half be taken away, if Liberty be not given him to unfold all that he finds true under his Hands, she will be but half form'd, the Histo∣rian half mute, half lame, and not able to acquit but one half of his Duty.

Besides, History, as has been said, is a Philosophy free from the Diffi∣culty and Perplexity of Arguments, but rich in Examples, that con∣cludes with more Right, and per∣swades with more Force. And this Force of Perswasion is not only from good Examples; the ill ex∣posed and well imploy'd, have the same Effect; nay, work sometimes more quick, whether because an evil Action is more lively and pene∣trating than a good; or that Man being more sensible of Shame than Honour, wants greater speed to Glory, than to help him fly In∣famy. Who has not heard the Cu∣stom amongst the Spartans, to make the Extravagant Actions of their Drunken Servants, Lessons of Tem∣perance to their Children. And how many Princes have been kept within the bounds of Duty, by the Eternal Chastisement they have seen the Evil suffer upon the Theatre of History.

There is a third Reason, that proves it the Duty of an Historian, to be as free in declaring the Vices as Vertues of great Persons: He is Judge, and Judgment reaches the Bad as well as the Good; His Fun∣ction is a publick Witness, and 'tis the part of a Witness to conceal nothing. And in fine, 'Tis the pu∣blick Interest, that great Men and Princes, to whom the Laws are but Cobwebs, should have some Bridle to stop them. And to a People that take Religion for a Fantasm, and Hell for a Bugbear to frighten Chil∣dren, we cannot propose any thing stronger, than the Eternal Infamy is prepared for them in History.