duce this first Specimen of my Studies into the Learned World, under your LORDSHIP'S protection. Perfuaded, therefore, of your LORDSHIP's Patronage, I here beg leave to deposit my Endeavours, as a public acknowledgment of the great esteem I entertain for your LORDSHIP's Perfon.

THE

PREFACE.

M

AN, when taking a View of the Solar System,

is naturally lifted up in tranfport, and conceives a fudden joy; but when his mind is cooled, and those wild extravagancies are evaporated, he is immediately directed by his prying foul, to attempt an acquaintance with the principal of the Planets, which, with its beams, fo invigorates the World; and with the fecret fprings, which give birth to its well-conducted access and recefs : So I, taking a furvey of the engaging scenes of action, which appeared in the series of the Roman History, and struck my imagination with irresistible pleasure, was impregnated with secret fatisfaction. But the CONSPIRACY of CATILINE, and the WAR of JUGURTHA, these two

important

our

important occurrences which faithfully convey to minds a knowledge of the fingular conduct of the RoMAN; of the extenfive magnificence of his EMPIRE ; invested, as it were,, with an attractive quality, drew my eyes afide from the contemplation of other uncommon objects, and claimed an abfolute command over my attention. Nor did I unwillingly yield; for they, divested of all other aid, merited a principal regard: But when I viewed the magnificent drefs, the pompous garb wherein the AUTHOR had apparelled them; in vain was the attempt to decline a furvey of this fubject. For this is the SOURCE of emphafis, fignificancy and grace, and every period conveys a new-born pleasure to the foul. Upon this I, being fenfible of the imperfections which occur in the former TRANSLATIONS, determined (tho' my early years bid me defift) to drefs it in an ENGLISH garb, which might bear as near an affinity as poffible to the original. The GRANDEUR of stile, the SIGNIFICANcy of terms, the GRACEFULNESS of diction, which has given SALLUST, as an HISTORIAN, the palm of glory and immortality, bear but too inconfiderable a share in the ftructure of those Translations. Nor is there that CONCISENESS in them fo worthy our regard in the HISTO

RIAN.

RIAN. As for my part, I have endeavoured to draw a Copy of the inimitable ORIGINAL, but am apprehensive of a deficiency in my colours, which are, I doubt, too faint, nor fo judiciously laid on, nor fo pertinently blended, as they ought to be. However, I have redoubled my application, to give it all poffible heightnings, and to invest it with all the beauty our language communicates; neither servilely tranflating, nor, by chaining the Author's fentiments to my own genius, detracting from its Lustre.

THE success of this Undertaking (the harvest of the 17th year) the World muft determine, not biaffed by prejudice, as fome ENVIOUS PERSONS are, but fubmitting to the guidance of a judgment which a WELL-CONDUCTED EXPERIENCE forms.

C. C.