THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE EGYPTIANS, CARTHAGINIANS, ASSYRIANS, BABYLONIANS, MEDES AND PERSIANS, GRECIANS AND MACEDONIANS. By M. ROLLIN. LATE PRINCIPAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS, PROFESSOR OF ELOQUENCE IN THE ROYAL COLLEGE, AND MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF INSCRIPTIONS AND BELLES LETTRES. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED BY J. M'GOWAN, GREAT WINDMILL STREET, HAYMARKET. . 18 TO THE PUBLIC. To attempt any laboured panegyric of an Author of so distinguished celebrity as ROLLIN, would be an arduous as well as superfluous undertaking. His profound erudition, the benevolence of his intentions, but above all, the piety of his sentiments, which clash with no sect or party among Christians, have already placed Kim high in the annals of fame, and have procured his writings an universal perusal. A peculiar felicity has attended Rollin as an Author.-His various performances have not only been perused with avidity by the public at large; they have also merited the applause of the learned and ingenious.-Writers of the most enlightened and of the most refined taste in polite literature, such as Voltaire, Atterbury, &c. have honoured him with the highest and most just encomiums. So various is our Author's information, and so consummate his knowledge in every subject which occupied his pen, that, viewing him in this light, we would be ready to imagine he had seldom stirred abroad from the studious and cloistered retirement of a College; but, on the other hand, when we consider the easy elegance for which his style is so remarkable, we are apt to conclude, that he passed a great part of his time in Courts. A circumstance which reflects the highest honour upon this Author, is his uncommon modesty. Learning, which too often elates the mind, and produces a haughty air of superiority, had no such effect on Rollin.-This great man, so far from delivering his sentiments in a dictatorial tone, ever speaks in terms the most unassuming. No preceptor ever studied so carefully the genius and dispositions of youth, or adapted his information so successfully for their improvement, as our Author. In all his works, it is not the pedagogue who instructs, but the fond parent-the amiable friend. 1 APPROBATION. PARIS, SEPTEMBER 3, 1729. I MAVE read, by order of the Lord-keeper, a manuscript, entitled, “ The An"cient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, "Medes, Persians, Macedonians, and Greeks," &c. In this Work appear the same principles of religion, of probity, and the same happy endeavours to improve the minds of youth, which are so conspicuous in all the writings of this Author. The present Work is not confined merely to the instruction of young people, but may be of service to all persons 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. |