The Scotch writers had no quarrel with their country or their age as the French had.

One was a Tory, the other a Whig; and Hume allowed himself to be unworthily affected by party bias in his historical judgment.

But neither was tempted to turn history into a covert attack on the condition of things amid which they lived.

Hence a calmness and dignity of tone and language, very different from the petulant brilliancy of Voltaire, who is never so happy as when he can make the past look mean and ridiculous, merely because it was the parent of the odious present.

But, excellent as were the Scotch historians--Hume, in style nearly perfect; Robertson, admirable for gravity and shrewd sense--they yet left much to be desired.