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the tree, that must ripen the juices to their juft maturity.

This then, namely, the exciting men to inquire for themselves into fubjects worthy of their contemplation,

nuous.

this the Author declares to have been his first and principal motive for appearing in print. Next to that, as he has always been a lover of Letters, he would willingly approve his ftudies to the liberal and ingeHe has particularly named thefe, in diftinction to others; because, as his ftudies were never profecuted with the leaft regard to lucre, fo they are no way calculated for any lucrative End. The liberal therefore and ingenuous, (whom he has mentioned already,) are thofe, to whofe perufal he offers what he has written. Should they judge favourably of his attempt, be may not perhaps befitate to confefs, Hoc juvat et melli est.

For

For tho' he hopes, he cannot be charged with the foolish love of vain Praife, he has no defire to be thought indifferent, or infenfible to honeft Fame.

From the influence of thefe fentiments, he has endeavoured to treat his Subject with as much order, correctnefs, and perfpicuity as in his power; and if he has failed, he can fafely fay, (according to the vulgar phrafe,) that the failure has been his misfortune, and not his fault. He fcorns thofe trite and contemptible methods of anticipating pardon for a bad performance, that "it was the hafty fruits of a few idle hours; written "merely for private amufement; never revised; published against confent, at the importunity of "friends, copies (God knows how) "baving by Stealth gotten abroad;' with other ftale jargon of equal falfhood and inanity. May we not afk

A 4

Such

fuch Prefacers, If what they allege be true, what has the world to do with them and their crudities?

As to the Book itself, it can fay this in its behalf, that it does not merely confine itself to what its title promifes, but expatiates freely into whatever is collateral; aiming on every occafion to rife in its inquiries, and to pass, as far as poffible, from fmall matters to the greateft. Nor is it formed merely upon fentiments that are now in fashion, or fupported only by fuch authorities as are modern: Many Authors are quoted, that now a-days are but little ftudied; and Some perhaps, whose very names are hardly known.

The Fate indeed of antient Authors (as we have happened to mention them) is not unworthy of our notice. A few of them furvive in the Libraries

of the learned, where fome venerable Folio, that fill goes by their name, just fuffices to give them a kind of nominal existence. The reft have long fallen into a deeper obfcurity, their very names, when mentioned, affecting us as little, as the names, when we read them, of thofe fubordinate Heroes,

Alcandrumque, Haliumque, Noemonaque, Prytanimque.

Now if an Author, not content with the more eminent of antient Writers, fhould venture to bring his reader into fuch company as thefe laft, among people (in the fashionable phrafe) that no body knows; what ufage, what quarter can be have reafon to expect? Should the Author of these fpeculations have done this, (and 'tis to be feared he bas) what method had he beft take in a circumftance fo critical?— Let us

Suppose

fuppofe him to apologize in the best manner he can, and in confequence of this, to fuggeft as follows

He hopes there will be found a pleafure in the contemplation of antient fentiments, as the view of antient Architecture, tho' in ruins, has Something venerable. Add to this, what from its antiquity is but little known, has from that very circuinftance the recommendation of novelty; fo that here, as in other inftances, Extremes may be faid to meet. Farther fill, as the Authors, whom he has quoted, lived in various ages, and in diftant countries; fome in the full maturity of Grecian and Roman Literature; fome in its declenfion; and others in periods ftill more barbarous, and depraved; it may afford perhaps no unpleafing fpeculation, to fee how the SAME REASON has at all times prevailed; how there is ONE TRUTH,

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