ong in their Sanskrit. Montaigne never doubts
Tacitus' facts: but doubts his Inferences; well, if I were sure of his
Facts, I would leave others to draw their Inferences. I mean, if I were
Commentator, certainly: and I think if I were Historian too. Nothing is
more wonderful to me than seeing such Men as Spedding, Carlyle, and I
suppose Froude, straining Fact to Theory as they do, while a
scatter-headed Paddy like myself can keep clear. But then so does the
Mob of Readers. Well, but I believe in the Vox Populi of two hundred
Years: still more, of two thousand. And, whether we be right or wrong,
we prevail: so, however much wiser are the Builders of Theory, their
Labour is but lost who build: they can't reason away Richard's Hump, nor
Cromwell's Ambition, nor Henry's Love of a new Wife, nor Tiberius'
beastliness. Of course, they had all their Gleams of Goodness: but we of
the Mob, if we have any Theory at all, have that which all Mankind have
seen and felt, and know as surely as Day-light; that Power will tempt and
spoil the Best.

Well, but what is all this Lecture to you for? Why, I think you rather
turn to the re-actionary Party about these old Heroes. So I say, however
right you may be, leave us, the many-headed, if not the wise-headed, to
go our way, only making the Text of Tacitus as clear for us to flounder
about in as you can. That, anyhow, must be the first Thing. Something
of the manners and customs of the Times we want also: some Lights from
other contemporary Authors also: and then, 'Gentlemen, you will now
consider your Verdict, and please yourselves.'

Can't you act on Spedding's Advice and have your Prolegomena separate, if
considerable in size? I don't doubt its Goodness: but you know how, when
one wants to take a Volume of an Author on Travel, Ship-board, etc., how
angry one is with the Life, Commentary, etc., which takes up half the
first volume. This we don't complain of in George III. because he is not
a Classic, and your Athenaeum Critic admits that yours is the best Part
of the Business by far.

_To E. B. Cowell_.

'_Scandal_'; LOWESTOFT, _June_ 17 [1867].

MY DEAR COWELL,

I wrote to Elizabeth, I think, to congratulate you both on the result of
the Election: I have since had your Letter: you will not want me to
repeat what, without my ever having written or said, you will know that I
feel. I wrote to Thompson on the subject, and have had a very kind
Letter from him.

Now you