EXPLAINING WORDS AND PHRASES, FROM THE RITES AND
CUSTOMS TO WHICH THEY REFER.

BY ALEXANDER ADAM, LL. D.

RECTOR OF THE HIGH SCHOOL OF EDINBURGH.

THE SECOND EDITION, CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED FOR A. STRAHAN, AND T. CADELL, LONDON;
AND W. CREECH, EDINBURGH.

PREFACE

1

TO THE FIRST EDITION.

NOTE

OTHING has more engaged the attention of literary men fince the revival of learning, than to trace from antient monuments the institutions and laws, the religion, the manners, and cuftoms of the Romans, under the general name of Roman Antiquities. This branch of knowledge is not only curious in itself, but abfolutely neceffary for understanding the Claffics, and for reading with advantage the hiftory of that celebrated people. It is particularly requifite for fuch as profecute the ftudy of the civil law.

Scarcely on any fubject have more books been written, and many of them by persons of distinguished abilities. But they are, for the moft part, too voluminous to be generally useful. Hence a number of abridgements have been published; of which thofe of Kennet and Nieuport are esteemed the best. The latter is on the whole better adapted than the former, to illuftrate the Claffics; but being written in Latin, and abounding with difficult phrases, is not fitted for the use of younger ftudents. Besides, it contains nothing concerning the laws of the Romans, or