The modest critick, or, Remarks upon the most eminent historians, antient and modern with useful cautions and instructions as well for writing as reading history : wherein the sense of the greatest men on this subject is faithfully abridged / by one of the Society of the Port-Royal.

XVIII. The Descripti∣ons.

That Affectation which appears in most Historians, in making De∣scriptions, has, in a manner, run down its use amongst judicious people. Nothing indeed is more childish, than a Description too much polish'd in a serious Hi∣story. Young Authors run head-long into it, without distincti∣on: You cannot be too circum∣spect in the use thereof. The Principle which is observable in it, is, That you must use it no more than is necessary to illu∣strate those things, the know∣ledge whereof is essential to what you write. Such is the Descrip∣tion of the Isle of Capraea, lib. 4. Annal. Tacit. For it denotes the Reason Tyberius had to retire thi∣ther toward the latter end of his life, which renders it necessary; and being short, eloquent, and polish'd, without any Superflui∣ty, one may say, that it is as it

ought to be. The Description a Salust made of the place where Jugurtha was defeated by Metellus, serves to make one know the Fight better. You may see there the Vertue of the Roman, as well as the Experience of the Numidian King, by the advantage he had taken in possessing him∣self of the Hills: and all the recital of the Battel, is better un∣derstood, by that draught of the place which the Historian lays be∣fore your Eyes, as well as the Picture of that place, where Hannibal fought Minucius, Book 22. Annal. Livii, which is a place well touch'd. Descriptions might again be allow'd in a great Hi∣story, to make the Narration more pleasing, provided they be fitted well to the purpose, and free from that superfluity which com∣monly accompanies them, when given by young Historians. The desire they have to shew their Parts that way, makes them fall in a pittiful childishness. Nay, b Lucian finds fault with the

too long Description which Thu∣cidides makes of the Plague of Athens, in the Second Book of his History; and he is, perhaps, in the right: for that Author, thô wise, runs into a Narration of that Disease too particular: But that Critick has more rea∣son, when he complains of that impertinent Historian of his Time, who took so much delight in ma∣king great Descriptions of Moun∣tains, of Cities, of Battels, which, he says, out-do in Coldness, all the Snows, and all the Ice of the North. And indeed, nothing is colder than a description which is too much studied. The Ma∣chines of War us'd by Caesar, are describ'd in his Commentaries, with a way of Circumstances too great for so mecanick a mat∣ter as that is. That Commander, whose Reputation in the know∣ledge of War, is establish'd, seems to have a desire to be thought also a good Engineer; it looks too much affected for a man so judicious. The Descrip∣tion

of Africa, in the War of Jugurtha in Salust, is too full of Circumstances. There was no need of so many to mark the Limits of the Kingdoms of A∣therbal and Jugurtha, which were then in dispute: What need was there to describe all that Coun∣trey, and to make a distinction of the Manners of the People, with so much particularity? De∣scriptions must then be useful, exact, short, elegant, never studi∣ed, having no harshness in them, nor a vain desire of making your Wit appear more than your Sub∣ject, that your Descriptions may look well, as those of Livy do: 'twere fit you should make him your Pattern.

Notes

• a

  Sal. in Bello Jugurt.
• b

  Luc. de Hist. conser.