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HISTORY.

Stowe was the first writer among the historians of the seventeenthcentury: the next of eminence was Daniel Speed, Sir RichardBaker , Sandford, Brady, Eehard, and Tyrrel, are others, whosenames only it is quite sufficient to enumerate. Jn the last century,Bishop Burnet , Carte, Kennet, Tindal, Hume, Smollett, Macau-lay', and Henry, are historians too well known to need either com-ment or commendation here. In regard to the writers of particu-lar histories of the kings with whom they were cotemporary, itmaybe sufficient to enumerate the following: William the Con-queror’s life was written by William of Poicliers; King Stephen ’smemoirs, by Richard Prior of Hexham , printed among the decern-scriptores; Richard the First’s Expedition into the Holy Land,was celebrated by Joseph of Exeter, or [scanus; the Life of Ed-ward the Second by Sir Thomas de la More; Henry the Filth’sby some one under the name of Titus Livius : and that of Edwardthe Fifth, with a part of the History of Richard the Third, by' SirThomas More ; Henry the Eighth’s reign, by Lord Herbert of I,Cherbury; and Elizabeth’s by Camden. Those of a later period, jiperhaps, are hardly entitled to so much credit for impartiality. ]]The historians of other particular countries may be mentioned in a jbriefer manner; enumerating such only as a reader may refer to |when inquiring into facts. In regard to France , after mentioning jthe Chroniques de St. Denis, the Annules Francorum, with the iworks of Monstrelet, Mezeray, Daniel and Gamier, and Herault ’s ]Abridgement, we need only mention two of the most comprehen- 1sive bodies of French history, “ Duchesne’s Historic Francorum !Scriptures;” arid “ Bouquet’s Recueil des Historiens des Gardes ,et de la France,” in thirteen volumes folio. For the general his-tory of llalv, Guicciardini ’s work is undoubtedly the best, notonly' for its accuracy, but its style; though Brusoni’s and Capri-ata’s works are much csteenic-d for their veracity. To those whomake a deep search, the “ Rerum Italiarum Scriptores,” by Mu-ratori, will be useful. For the separate states of Italy , Giannoni’s jHistory' of Naples, Machiavel ’s llistoria Florrnliua, and the“ Historia Veneziani.” For Switzerland , the “ Helvetic Confe-deracy” by Mr. Planta, may be referred to: for Holland , LeCierc’s “ Provinces Unies, ” 1728. Among the writers of Ger- 1man history, the “ Germani Scriptores” of Piston us, Urstilius, IFreher, and Reuber, may be mentioned; the writers on ancient I

, Germany by Schard ; the Scriptores Rernm Brunsvicensium ; and, Mascou’s history of the Germans. The most valuable history of[j Spain is Mariana’s, first published in 1592; the best edition ofj which, continued to a late period, was published at Valencia,j 1783. Beside this, Curita’s “ Annales de Arragon” may be con-j suited with the “ Annales de Cattaluna.” The earliest materialsfor Portuguese history are to be found among the Scriptores Re-rinn llispiiniarum. The first historian whom Meusel mentions isLaimund de Ortega: but one of the most valuable and industri-ous was Bernard de Erito, who published the two first parts of the“ Monarchia Lusitanica,” in 159?and 1609; which was continuedas far as an eighth part, in 1729. Others are, Meneze’s Historiade Portugal, printed at Lisbon in two volumes, folio, 1679 and1698 ; La Clede’s Histoire de Portugal, Par. 1735 ; and the ela-borate history of Gebauer, in German, Leipsig, 1759. On Swe-den , Crusius’s “ Annales Suevica',” 1596, and Putlcndorf “ DeRebus Suevicis,” 1686, will be found works of considerable con-sequence. On Norway , Forfaius’s “Historia Rerum Norvegi-carum.” On Denmark , Cragius’s “ Annales Dauica:;” Mallet’s“ Histoire de Dannemare,” and Langebek ’s “ Scriptores RerumDanicarum:” and of Russia , “ Rerum Muscoviticarum Scrip-tores,” 1600, folio, and Levesque’s “ Histoire de Russie,” 1800.Those wiio would gain a more particular knowledge of the charac-ters which the principal of these historians bear, may consult theworks of Wheare and Rawlinson on History. There are, how-ever, some particular histories, which are so excellently w ritten,that no person of a liberal education should neglect becoming ac-quainted with them. Under this character we may comprehendall the works of Tacitus , which now remain to us: in his writingsevery phrase is a maxim; the narrative goes on with rapidity; whileall his characters are drawn with a more profound knowledge ofhuman nature than those of any historian who went before him ;his very brevity is pregnant. Thuanus’sHistory of his own Timesis a work almost equal to any production of the classic ages.Guicciardini ’s History of Italy: Davila’s of the Civil Wars ofFrance; Bentivoglio’s of those of the Netherlands ; and Giannoni’sHistory of Naples, deserve, a similar character, as well as Iltune’shistory of our own country. And Rapin’s 1 i i lory of Englandwill be justly esteemed a treasure by all lovers of truth.

HITCH, in the sea-language, is to catch hold of any thing witha hook or rope, and by this means to hold it fast: thus when a boatis to he hoisted in, thesailors say, “ hitch the tackles into the ring-bolts of the boat;” and when they are about to weigh anchor,

“ Hitch the fish-hook to the fluke of the anchor.”

HITCHIN, or HITCHING, a large, and populous town of jHertfordshire , near Flilchwood, twenty-live miles N. N.W. ofHertford, and thirty-four N. W. of London .

H1THE, a town of Kent; seventy miles from London . Tt isone of the Cinque Ports. From hence to Boulogne is reckonedthe shortest passage to France . Lon. 1. 17. E. Lat. 51. 6. N.

IIITSACKER, a town of Lunenberg Zell, on an island inJctze; twenty-nine miles E - of Lunenburg, and fifty-six N. E. ofZell.

HITTITES, the descendants of Hetb, the second son of Ca-naan . Gen. x. 15. I

HIVE. See Avis, and Bee.

IIIVITES, a people descended from Canaan , who dwelt atfirst in the country afterwards possessed by the Caphtorims, orPhilistines. There were also Ilivites in the centre of the promis-ed land, for the Shechemites and the Gibeonites were Ilivites.Gen. xxxiv. 2. Josh. xi. 19. There were also some beyondJordan, at the foot of mount ’Hermon. Josh. xi. 3. Bochartsays, that Cadmus, who carried a colony of Phoenicians intoGreece , was an Hivite.

HOA1-KING, a town of China , in the province of Honan, fif-teen miles S. S.W. of Pekin.

Hoai-ngan-fou, a city of China , in the province of Iviang-nan,inclosed by a triple wall.

IIOANG-IIO. See Yeelow River.

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i Hoang-Tcheou, a city of China , of the first rank, in the pro-I vince of Hou-Quang, on the A ang-Tse, 585 miles S. of Pekin.

HQARIIOUND. See Marrubium.

HOARSENESS, is a diminution or temporary loss of thevoice, sometimes attended with a preternatural asperity or rough-ness of utterance. The parts affected are the trachea and larynx.It is occasioned by a slight inflammation of the mucous mem-brane covering those parts; and is relieved by mucilaginous Foe-tuses; warm diluting drinks, such as bran-tea, linseed-tea, &c.;assisted by opiates and sudorific medicines taken at bed-time.

HOATCH1T, a country of Chinese Tartary, governed by aMogul Prince. It is seated N. of Pekin.

liOBAL, in mythology, an idol of the ancient Arabs , the wor-ship of which at Mecca was destroyed by Mohammed.

IIOBBES, Thomas, a famous writer, born at Mahnsbury, in1588, was the son of a clergyman. He completed his studies atOxford, and was afterwards governor to the earl of Di vonshire’seldest son ; whom he attended in his. travels through France andItaly. He translated Thucydides into English ; and publishedhis translations in 1628, to shew his countrymen, from Athenian history, the disorders and confusions of a democraiical govern-ment. In 1626, bis patron, the earl of Devonshire, died ; and in1628 his son also died : which loss affected Mr. Hobbes to such adegree, that he willingly accepted an offer of going abroad withthe soil of Sir Gervase Clifton; whom he accordingly accompaniedinto France , where lie staid some time. While lie continued therehe was solicited to return to England, and to resume his concernfor the hopes of that family to whom he had attached himself soearly, and to which he owed so many and so great obligations.In 1631 the countess dowager of Devonshire desired to put the’ young