"l SHOULD VERY IMPERFECTLY EXECUTE TRE TASK WHICH I HAVE
UNDERTAKEN   IF   I   WERE   MERELY   TO   TREAT  OF   BATTLES   AND

SIEGES, OF THE  RISE AND FALL OF ADMINISTRATIONS.....AND

OF DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT. IT WILL BE MY ENDEAVOR TO RE¬
LATE THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE HISTORY OF
THE GOVERNMENT, TO TRACE THE PROGRESS OF USEFUL AND
ORNAMENTAL ARTS, TO DESCRIBE THE RISE OF RELIGIOUS SECTS
AND THE CHANGES OF LITERARY TASTE, TO PORTRAY THE MAN¬
NERS OF SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS, [TO RECORD, IN ITS VARIOUS
ASPECTS, THE PHYSICAL GROWTH OF THE CITY,] AND NOT TO PASS
BY WITH NEGLECT EVEN THE REVOLUTIONS WHICH HAVE TAKEN
PLACE IN DRESS, FURNITURE, REPASTS, AND PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS,
....■' MACAULAY'S PLAN OF HIS HISTORY OF ENGLAND.