296 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iii.

is not curious; nor that Venetians soon left themin the lurch . 1 But what of Sir Deodate and thedragon? St. George and the dragon for a wager!It is about this time! What of that?—What?That it is a fable to be sure. Yet its being totally afable (as following good authorities, I am prepared toaffirm) were no sufficient reason for not relating it.Beyond doubt Livy knew, just as thoroughly as hismodern readers, that many of the things he tellscould not possibly be true. Yet he tells them never-theless ! For they showed what those times believed.When savages bored a traveller with some wonder oftheir idol, that he recounts it is no proof in the leastthat he believes it. No truth surely, in itself; but it istrue in this, and thus far, that it demonstrates howover easy they are in credence. Why should thehistorian be taxed with the fictions he quotes?His business is to inform us how such a nationthought, not how he thinks. Describing a crime,is he for that criminal? But the story I refer towould give a false opinion of those times; as if itcould have been entertained then, and I am quitepersuaded it could not; but that it was the inventionof posterity, when become too prone to accuse theirancestors. Superhuman, perhaps! But this wasnothing superhuman, nor even pretended to be.

1 Cod. Dipl. Geros., ii., Num. lxv.—Vatic. Secret.