Rome, from the age of the Antonines, to thre fubverfion of the Western Empire. With res gard to the fubfequent periods, though I may entertain fome hopes, I dare not prefume to give any affurances. The execution of the extenfive plan which I have described, would connect the ancient and modern hiftory of the World: but it would require many years of health, of leifure, and of perfeverance. BENTINCK-STREET, P.S. The entire Hiftory, which is now pub lifhed, of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in the Weft, abundantly discharges my engagements with the Public. Perhaps their favourable opinion may encourage me to profecute a work, which, however laborious it may feem, is the most agreeable occupation of my leisure hours. BENTINCK-STREET, An Author eafily perfuades himself that the public opinion is ftill favourable to his labours; 4 3 labours; and I have now embraced the serious refolution of proceeding to the last period of my original defign, and of the Roman Empire, the taking of Conftantinople by the Turks, in the year one thousand four hundred and fiftythree. The most patient Reader, who computes that three ponderous volumes have been already employed on the events of four centuries, may, perhaps, be alarmed at the long profpect of nine hundred years. But it is not my intention to expatiate with the fame minutenefs on the whole feries of the Byzantine hif tory. At our entrance into this period, the reign of Juftinian, and the conquests of the Mahometans, will deferve and détain our attention, and the laft age of Conftantinople (the Crufades and the Turks) is connected with the revolutions of Modern Europe. From the feventh to the eleventh century, the óbfcure interval will be fupplied by a concife narrative of fuch facts, as may ftill appear either interefting or important. BENTINCK-STREET, 3 The first fix volumes of the octavo edition. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST OCTAVO EDITION. THE Hiftory of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is now delivered to the Public in a more convenient form. Some alterations and improvements had prefented themselves to my mind, but I was unwilling to injure or offend the purchasers of the preceding editions. The accuracy of the Corrector of the Press has been already tried and approved; and, perhaps, I may ftand excufed, if, amidst the avocations of a bufy winter, I have preferred the pleasures of compofition and ftudy, to the minute diligence of revifing a former publication. BENTINCK-STREET, DILIGENCE and accuracy are the only merits which an hiftorical writer may afcribe to himfelf; if any merit indeed can be affumed from the performance of an indifpenfable duty. I may therefore be allowed to say that I have carefully examined all the original materials that could illustrate the fubject which I had undertaken to treat. Should I ever complete the extenfive defign which has been sketched out in the Preface, I might perhaps conclude it with a eritical account of the authors confulted during the progrefs of the whole work; and however fuch an attempt might incur the cenfure of oftentation, I am perfuaded that it would be fufceptible of entertainment, as well as information. At prefent I fhall content myself with a single obfervation. The Biographers, who, under the reigns of Diocletian and Conftantine, compofed, or rather compiled, the lives of the Emperors, from Hadrian to the fons of Carus, are ufually mentioned under the names of Ælius Spartianus, Julius Capitolinus, Ælius Lampridius, Vulcatius Gallicanus, 12 Gallicanus, Trebellius Pollio, and Flavius Vopifcus. But there is so much perplexity in the titles of the MSS.; and fo many difputes have arifen among the critics (fee Fabricius, Biblioth. Latin. l. iii. c. 6.) concerning their number, their names, and their respective property; that for the most part I have quoted them without dif tinction, under the general and well-known title of the Auguftan Hiftory. |