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I

APPROBATION.

Paris, 3 Sept. 1729.

HAVE read, by order of the Lord-keeper,

a manuscript entitled, The Ancient Hiftory of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Affyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Perfians, Macedonians, and Greeks, &c. In this work appears the fame principles of religion, of probity, and the fame happy endeavours to improve the minds of youth, which are fo confpicuous in all the writings of this author. The prefent, work is not confined merely to the inftruction of young people, but may be of fervice to all perfons in general, who will now have an opportunity of reading, in their native tongue, a great number of curious events, which before were known to few except the learned.

SECOUSSE.

1

ADVERTISEMENT.

HE Proprietors of this edition of Rollin's

T Ancient History beg leave to inform the

public, that the original was published by the author at different times; which rendered it neceffary for him to write a particular preface or introduction to each publication: but the whole being now completed, the editors have combined all his detached introductions into one, ómitting only fuch paffages as were either fuperfluous or redundant, in a collected view.

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A LETTER, written by the Right Reverend Dr. FRANCIS ATTERBURY, late Lord Bishop

of Rochester, to Mr. ROLLIN, in Commendation of this Work.

Reverende atque Eruditiffime Vir,

CUM

UM, monente amico quodam, qui juxta ædes tuas habitat, fcirem te Parifios revertiffe; ftatui falutatum te ire, ut primùm per valetudinem liceret. Id officii, ex pedum infirmitate aliquandiu dilatum, cûm tandem me impleturum fperarem, fruftra fui; domi non eras. Reftat, ut quod coram exequi non potui, fcriptis faltem literis præftem; tibique ob ea omnia, quibus à te auctus fum, beneficia, grates agam, quas habeo certe, & femper habiturus fum, maximas.

Reverà munera illa librorum nuperis à te annis editorum egregia hac perhonorifica mihi vifa funt. Multį enim facio, et te, vir præftantiffime, et tua omnia quæcunque in ifto literarum genere perpolita funt; in quo quidem Te cæteris omnibus ejufmodi fcriptoribus facilè antecellere, atque effe eundem et dicendi et fentiendi magiftrum optimum, prorsùs exiftimo: cúmque in excolendis his ftudiis aliquantulum ipfe et operæet temporis pofuerim, liberè tamen profiteor me, tua cum legam ac relegam, ea edoctum effè à te, non folùm quæ nefciebam prorsùs, fed etiam quæ antea didiciffe mi hi vifus fum. Modeflè itaque nimium de opere tuo fen-' tis, cum juventuti tantùin inftituendæ elaboratum.id effe contendis. Ea certè fcribis, quæ à viris iftiufmodi rerum haud imperitis, cum voluptate et fructu legi poffunt. Vetera quidem, et fatis cognita revocas in memoriam; fed ita revocas, ut illuftres, ut ornes; ut aliquid vetuftis adjicias quod novum fit, alienis quod omnino tuum: bonafque picturas bonâ in luce collocando efficis, ut etiam iis, à quibus fæpiflimè confpectæ funt, elegantiores tamen folitò appareant, et placeant magis.

Certè

ea quæ

Certè, dum Xenophontem fæpiùs verfas, ab illo et à te plurimis in locis narrantur, et ipfum ubique narrandi modum videris traxiffe, ftylique Xenophontei nitorem ac venuftam fimplicitatem non imitari tantùm, fed planè affequi: ita ut fi Gallicè fciffet Xenophon, non aliis illum, in eo argumento quod tractas, verbis ufurum, non alio prorsùs more fcripturum judicem.

Hæc ego, haud affentandi causâ (quod vitium procul à me abeft) fed verè ex animi fententiâ dico. Cùm enim pulchris à te donis ditatus fim, quibus in eodem, aut in alio quopiam doctrinæ genere referendis imparem me fentio, volui tamen propenfi erga te animi gratique teftimonium proferre, et te aliquo faltem munufculo, etfi perquam diffimili, remunerari.

Perge, vir docte admodum et venerande, de bonis literis, quæ nunc neglectæ paffim et fpreta jacent, benè mereri: perge juventutem Gallicam (quando illi folummodo te utilem effe vis) optimis et præceptis et exemplis informare.

Quod ut facias, annis ætatis tuæ elapfis multos adjiciat Deus! iifque decurrentibus fanum te præftat atque incolumen. Hoc ex animo optat ac vovet

Tui obfervantiffimus'

FRANCISCUS ROFFENSIS.

Pranfurum te mecum poft festa dixit mihi amicus ille nofter qui tibi vicinus eft. Cùm ftatueris tecum quo die adfuturus es, id illi fignificabis. Me certè annis malifque debilitatum, quandocunque veneris, domi invenies.

6° Kal. Jan. 1731.

A LETTER,

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