PREFACE, THERE are fome fubjects on which a writer must decline all attempts to acquire fame, fatisfied with being obfcurely useful. After fuch a number of Roinan Hiftories, in almost all languages, antient and modern, it would be but impofture to pretend new discoveries, or to expect to offer any thing in a work of this kind, which has not been often anticipated by others. The facts which it relates have been an hundred times repeated, and every occurrence has been fo variously confidered, that learning can scarcely find a new anecdote, or genius give novelty to the old. I hope, therefore, for the reader's indulgence, if, in the following attempt, it fhall appear, that my only aim was to fupply a concife, plain, and unaffected narrative of the Rife and Decline of a well-known empire. I was contented to make fuch a book as could not fail of being ferviceable, though of all others the most unlikely to promote the reputation of the writer. Inftead, therefore, of preffing forward among the ambitious, I only claim the merit of knowing my own ftrength, and falling back among the hindmoft ranks, with confcious inferiority. I am not ignorant, however, that it would be no difficult task to purfue the fame art by which many dull men, every day, acquire a reputation in Hiftory; fuch might eafily be attained, by fixing on fome obfcure period to write upon, where much feeming erudition might be difplayed, almoft unknown, because not worth remembering; and many maxims in politicks might be advanced entirely new, because altogether falfe. But I have pursued a contrary method, choofing the most noted period in History, and offering no remarks but fuch as I thought strictly true. The reasons of my choice were, that we had no hiftory of this fplendid period in our language, but what was either too voluminous for common use, or too meanly written to please. Catrou and Rouille's hiftory in fix volumes folio, tranflated into our language by Bundy, is entirely unfuited to the time and expence mankind ufually choose to bestow upon this fubject: Rollin and his continuator Crevier, making nearly thirty volumes octavo, feem to labour under the fame imputation; as likewife Hooke, who has fpent three quartos upon the Republic alone, the reft of his undertaking remaining unfinished *. There only, therefore, remained the history by Echard, in five volumes octavo, whofe plan and mine feemed to coincide; and had his execution been equal to his defign, it had precluded the prefent undertaking. But the truth is, it is fo poorly written, the facts fo crowded, the narration fo fpiritlefs, and the characters fo indiftinctly marked, that the most ardent curiofity muft cool in the perufal; and the nobleft tranfactions that ever warmed the human heart, as defcribed by him, muft cease to interest. I have endeavoured, therefore, in the prefent work, or rather compilation, to obviate the inconveniences arifing from the exuberance of the former, as well as from the unpleasantnefs of the latter. It was supposed, that two volumes might be made to comprize all that was requifite to be known, or pleasing to be read, by fuch as only examined Hiftory, to prepare them for more important ftudies. Too much time may be given even to laudable pursuits, and * Mr. Hooke's three quartos above-mentioned reach only to the end of the Gallic war. A fourth volume to the end of the Republic, was afterwards published in 1771. Dr. Goldsmith's preface was written in 1769. Mr. Hooke's quarto edition has been republished in eleven volumes octavo. 4 there there is none more apt than this, to allure the ftudent from the neceffary branches of learning, and, if I may fo express it, entirely to engross his industry. What is here offered, therefore, may be fufficient for all, except fuch who make hiftory the peculiar business of their lives; to fuch the moft tedious narrative will feem but an abridgement, as they meafure the merits of a work, rather by the quantity than the quality of its contents: others, however, who think more foberly, will agree, that in fo extenfive a field as that of the tranfactions of Rome, more judgment may be fhewn, by felecting what is important than by adding what is obfcure. The hiftory of this empire has been extended to fix volumes folio; and I aver, that with very little learning, it might be increased to fixteen more, but what would this be, but to load the fubject with unimportant facts, and fo to weaken the narration, that, like the empire defcribed, it must neceffarily fink beneath the weight of its own acquifitions. But while I thus endeavoured to avoid prolixity, it was found no eafy matter to prevent crowding the facts, and to give every narrative its proper play. In reality, no art can contrive to avoid oppofite defects; he, who indulges in minute particularities, will be often languid; and he who ftudies concifenefs, will as frequently be dry and unentertaining. As it was my aim to comprize as much as poffible in the smallest compafs, it is feared the work will often be fubject to the latter imputation, but it was impoffible to furnish the public with a cheap Roman Hiftory in two volumes octavo, and at the fame time to give all that warmth to the narrative, all thofe colourings to the defcription, which works of twenty times the bulk have room to exhibit. I fhall be fully fatisfied, therefore, if it furnishes an intereft fufficient to allure the reader to the end; and this H 3 this is a claim to which few abridgements can juftly make pretenfions. To thefe objections there are fome who may add, that I have rejected many of the modern improvements in Roman Hiftory, and that every character is left in full poffeffion of that fame or infamy which it obtained from its contemporaries, or those who wrote immediately after. I acknowledge the charge, for it appears now too late to rejudge the virtues or the vices of thofe men, who were but very incompletely known even to their own hiftorians. The Romans, perhaps, upon many occafions formed wrong ideas of virtue; but they were by no means fo ignorant or abandoned in general, as not to give to their brighteft characters the greatest fhare of their applaufe; and I do not know whether it be fair to try Pagan actions by the standard of Chriftian morality. But whatever may be my execution of this work, I have very little doubt about the fuccefs of the undertaking; the subject is the nobleft that ever employed human attention; and inftead of requiring a writer's aid, will even fupport him with its fplendour. The Empire of the World, rifing from the meaneft origin, and growing great by a ftrict veneration for religion, and an implicit confidence in its commanders; continually changing the mode, but feldom the spirit of its government; being a conftitution, in which the military power, whether under the name of citizens or foldiers, almoft always prevailed; adopting all the improvements of other nations with the moft indefatigable induftry, and fubmitting to be taught by thofe whom it afterwards fubdued this is a picture that muft affect us, however it be difpofed; thefe materials muft have their value, under the hand of the meaneft workman. THE |