Governor of the world, by a voluntary

death.

On the whole, though the reasoning of the philofophers can never destroy that connexion which nature has eftablished between our paffions and affections, and the objects which are adapted to excite them; yet it cannot be doubted, that the ftoic philosophy had great influence on the character and conduct of its profeffors; and excited many of them, particularly the good Antoninus, to actions of the most heroic magnanimity and the most extenfive benevolence.

POST

POSTCRIPT.

It will probably be asked, what neceffity there was for a new translation of this work, when there has been already one or two published within these fifty years? I anfwer, that when I first engaged in it, in my retired fituation, I could get no intelligence from the neighbouring bookfellers, of any other than that of Jeremy Collier, at the beginning of this century; which abounds with fo many vulgarifms, anilities, and even ludicrous ex

preffions,

preffions, and is, in many places, fo unlike the original, that one cannot now read it with any patience.

When I had got into the ninth book, however, I accidentally met with one, printed at Glasgow in 1747, which is very faithful to the original in general; but often fo unneceffarily literal, and with fuch a total neglect of elegance and harmony of style, that there is certainly room for improvement;this I may fuppofe to have attempted,

It is invidious to point them out in so respectable a writer, but they occur in almost every page. "Thieves, whores, and catamites, run away with the world; who then would care three-pence for it?” People will act as they have done, though you fret your heart out, "fome love their wenches, fome their money" &c. &c.

or

or why thus intrude upon the public? But, alas! I must rely on the candour of the reader, not in this instance alone: And (in a work, where so much room is left for conjecture) fome indulgence seems but reasonable; especially in those mutilated paffages, or imperfect hints, which the best commentators have viewed with despair.

In short, as I have endeavoured to steer between the loose translation of J. Collier, who often lofes fight of his author; and the dry manner of the Glasgow tranflator, who generally sticks too close to him; I do not entirely defpair of gaining more attention to one of the most curious, and in the opinion

of

of M.* Cafaubon, one of the most excellent works of antiquity.

*Meyric Cafaubon, one of the most learned men of the laft century: he was prebendary of Canterbury; but deprived of his preferment, when Cromwell sent his private secretary (Mr. Greaves, of Gray's Inn) with an offer of 300l. a-year, if he would write an impartial hiftory of the civil war: which, though he had a large family, he declined. Cromwell, however, (much to his credit) remitted him privately, without any conditions, a present of 400l.

A SHORT