Reflexions of Policy to find out the secret Reasons and hidden
Causes of Accidents, there is nevertheless a distinction to be made
between the Character of the Historian and the Heroe, for if it be
the Heroe that speaks, then he ought to express himself
Ingeniously, without affecting any Nicety of Points or Syllogisms,
because he speaks without any Preparation; but when the Author
speaks of his Chief, he may use a more Nice Language, and chuse his
Terms for the better expressing his Designs; Moral Reflexions,
Maxims and Sentences are more proper in Discourses for Instructions
than in Historical Novels, whose chief End if to please; and if we
find in them some Instructions, it proceeds rather from their
Descriptions than their Precepts._

_An Acute Historian ought to observe the same Method, at the Ending
as at the Beginning of his Story, for he may at first expose Maxims
relating but a few Feats, but when the End draws nigher, the
Curiosity of the Reader is augmented, and he finds in him a Secret
Impatience of desiring to see the Discovery of the Action; an
Historian that amuses himself by Moralizing or Describing,
discourages an Impatient Reader, who is in haste to see the End of
Intrigues; he ought also to use a quite different Sort of Stile in
the main Part of the Work, than in Conversations, which ought to be
writ after an easie and free Manner: Fine Expressions and Elegant
Turns agree little to the Stile of Conversation, whose Principal
Ornament consists in the Plainness, Simplicity, Free and Sincere
Air, which is much to be preferr'd before a great Exactness: We see
frequent Examples in Ancient Authors of a Sort of Conversation which
seems to clash with Reason; for 'tis not Natural for a Man to
entertain himself, for we only speak that we may communicate our
Thoughts to others; besides, 'tis hard to comprehend how an Author