best of my abilities. But as every reader has an equal right of judging for himself, I have fubjoined in the margin, the original words of the author, with the book, page, name, and date of the respective edition I made ufe of, for the ease as well as the fatisfaction of the candid and judicious: for that vague and careless manner, which fome writers affect, of quoting an author by name only, without specifying the particular paffage referred to in evidence, is neither ufeful, nor fatisfactory to the generality of readers; whilft the unfair method, too often practifed, of quoting disjointed fcraps, or unconnected fentences, is apt to raise ftrong suspicions, that the real fentiments and intention of the author are kept out of fight, and that the writer is endeavouring to palm falfe evidence upon his readers.

I must take the liberty of offering another reason, which, I confess, was of more weight with me, because more perfonally interesting. As the British state and the ancient free Republics were founded upon the fame principles, and their policy and conftitution nearly fimilar, fo, as like caufes will ever produce like effects, it is impoffible not to perceive an equal resemblance between their and our manners, as they and we equally devi

ated from those first principles. Unhappily, the resemblance between the manners of our own times, and the manners of those republics in their most degenerate periods is, in many respects, fo ftriking, that unless the words in the original were produced as vouchers, any well-meaning reader, unacquainted with those historians, would be apt to treat the defcriptions of those periods, which he may frequently meet with, as licentious, undistinguishing satire upon the present age,

The behaviour of some of our political writers makes an apology of this nature in fome measure neceffary; on the one hand, that I may avoid the imputation of pedantry, or being thought fond of an idle oftentatious parade of learning; on the other, left a work calculated to promote domeftic peace and union, should be ftrained, by the perversenefs of party-conftruction, into an inflammatory libel.

INTRODUCTION.

I

Am not at all furprised at those encomiums which the philofophers and poets so lavishly bestow upon the pleasures of a country-retirement. The profufion of varying beauties, which attend the returning seasons, furnishes out new and inexhauftible fubjects for the entertainment of the ftudious and contemplative. Even winter carries charms for the philofophic eye, and equally speaks the ftupendous power of the great Author of nature. To fearch out and adore the Creator through his works, is our primary duty, and claims the first place in every rational mind. To promote the public good of the community of which we are born members, in proportion to our fituation and abilities, is our fecondary duty

men and citizens, I judged therefore a close attention to the ftudy of Hiftory the most useful way of employing that time which my countryrecefs afforded, as it would enable me to fulfil this obligation and upon this principle I take the liberty of offering these papers as my mite towards the public good,

In the course of these researches nothing gave me fo much pleasure as the fludy of ancient history: because it made me fo truly fenfible of the ineftimable value of our own conftitution, when I observed the very different maxims and conduct, and the ftrong contraft between the founders of defpotic monarchies, and the legiflators of the free ftates of antiquity. In the former, that absurd and impious doctrine of millions created for the fole use and pleasure of one individual, seems to have been the first position in their politics, and the general rule of their conduct. The latter fixed the bafis of their respective states upon this juft and benevolent plan, "That the fafety and happiness of the "whole community was the only end of all "government. The former treated mankind as brutes, and lorded it over then by force. The latter received them as their fellow - creatures, and governed them by reafon; hence whilft we deteft the former as the enemies and deftroyers, we cannot help admiring and revering the latter, as the lovers and benefactors of mankind.

The hiftories which I confidered with the greatest attention , gave me the highest entertainment and affected me moft, were thole of the free ftates of Greece, Carthage, and Rome. I faw with admiration the profound wisdom and fagacity, the unwearied labor and difinterested spirit of those

amiable and generous men, who contributed most towards forming thofe ftates, and fettling them upon the firmeft foundations. I traced with pleasure their gradual progrefs towards that height of power, to which in process of time they arri'ved; and I marked the various fteps and degrees by which they again declined, and at last sunk gradually into their final diffolution, not without a juft mixture of forrow and indignation.

It would be a labor of more curiofity, than of real ufe at this time, to give a long detail of the original formation of those states, and the wise laws and inftitutions by which they were raised to that envied degree of perfection; yet a concife account of the primitive conftitution of each state may be fo far neceffary, as it will render the deviations from that conftitution more intelligible, and more fully illuftrate the caufes of their final fubverfion. But to point out and expose the principal causes, which contributed gradually to weaken, and at length demolish and level with the ground, those beautiful fabrics raised by the public virtue, and cemented by the blood of fo many illuftrious patriots, will, in my opinion, be more interefting, and more inftructive.

When I confider the conftitution of our own country, I cannot but think it the best calculated for promoting the happiness, and preferving the lives, liberty, and property of mankind, of any