TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL, BY GEORGE BAKER, A. M. UNIVERSITY Cr ENERAL 奶 1819 PRINTED FOR A. STRAHAN, AND T. CADELL JUN. AND IN THE STRAND. 1797. PREFACE. ITUS LIVIUS, the illuftrious Author of the Roman History, defcended from a noble family in Rome, and was born at Patavium, now called Padua, in Italy, in the 694th year of Rome, fifty-eight years before the commencement of the Chriftian æra. Like many other literary men, his life was contemplative, rather than active; very few particulars, therefore, concerning him, have come down to us. He refided at Rome, for a confiderable time, where he was much noticed, and highly honoured, by Auguftus; to whom he was previously known, it is faid, by fome writings which he had dedicated to him. Seneca, however, is filent upon the subject of this fuppofed dedication, though he mentions. the work itself, which, he fays, confifted of moral and philofophical dialogues. He appears to have conceived the project of writing his hiftory, immediately, upon his fettling at Rome; or, perhaps, he came thither for the purpose of collecting the neceffary materials for that great work. Auguftus appointed him preceptor to his grandfon Claudius, afterwards emperor. But he feems not much to have attended to the advantages which might have refulted from fo |