ferved reputation of this masterpiece bath brought it no less than thirteen different times to the press in its own and other countries, neither the excellence of the work, nor the fame of the writer, fhould have hitherto excited our countrymen to promote the naturalization of fo celebrated and valuable a foreigner? There was indeed an attempt made, above threefcore years ago, to introduce this performance faithfully englished; or rather fo difadvantageously metamorphofed, that the original could no longer be known: which may ferve to account for its fo different reception in that dif guife, from what it hath ever met with in its native drefs. Not only was the most elegant diction transformed into the most barbarous jargon, but the clearest, the finest fenfe mistaken, nay, made nonfenfe, in almost every page, or rather every paragraph. No wonder then if an

English

English eye or ear turned away, with abhorrence, from what appeared fo fhocking; and if it well judged ufeless, what it found unintelligible.

In order therefore to vindicate the injured author from the falfe impreffions that may have thus naturally been received of him; in order to make him as well known, and confequently as much esteemed, in our country, as he is wherever elfe tafe and learning reign; in order to prefent to the public, what it bath fo long wanted, a complete compendium of univerfal hiftory, has this tranflation been undertaken.

;

The British youth will find in it the most useful claffic of its kind whether it is taught them, before they are capable of studying the large and learned volumes from whence it hath been digefted; or whether it is read afterwards, for recapitulation; or, in fine, if it is fubftituted

fubftituted in their place: a claffic, which the learned and judicious M. ROLLIN, the beft fchool-biftorian we have, but whofe labours are fwelled almoft beyond the use of fchools, bath done little elfe than paraphrafed as a Text, nor been afhamed to own his doing fo.

But as our author hath fhewn, that the usefulness of his work is not confined to the great, fo may we venture to affirm, that every age and fex, as well as degree, may reap equal benefit from it. To youth it affords an entertaining inftructor; to age a faithful remembrancer ; and to the unlearned, of whatever denomination, a complete fyftem of univerfal knowledge, facred and profane; though compofed for the use of the greatest prince in Europe, adapted to the reach of the meanest Jubject.

It is an irreparable lofs, that our matchless author did not live to per

form

form his promife, of favouring the world with a fecond part, or a compendious fynopfis of modern hiftory, upon the fame plan with the ancient. In order to remedy, in fome fmall degree, fo great a misfortune, Jome pretty eminent pens abroad undertook the important defign, and have actually brought it down to the year 1738. But instead of imitating our Orator's concife method, and Laconic ftyle, they fwelled their continuation to above thrice the fize of the work they continued, though in a period not much exceeding one fixth part of the time. We have therefore been prevailed with, to make an humble attempt towards a more compendious execution of the ufeful, but arduous task continued down to the prefent times: wherein it will be endeavoured to follow, as near as poffible, (though at an infinite diftance, and with unequal Steps) our author's style and manner,

bis

bis order as well as accuracy, bis concifenefs as well as perfpicuity. We hope, at least, to omit few memorable facts that belong to our period, and to fituate each event in its proper point of time. But there must not be expected, in the fecond part, the fame fublimity of thought and expreffion, the fame happy turns and imperceptible tranfitions, the fame lively and ingenious ftrokes, as in the firft: for, befides that the nature of our fubject and plan does not admit it, who can pretend to be a BOSSUET?

AN