BASIL:

Printed and fold by J. J. TOURNEISEN.

MDCCXCVII.

AUSA

SAN

SEVENTH VOLUME,

TRANSLATIONS.

OF THE

Į. A Collection of Remarks, and Detached Pieces

on different Subjects,

No.

Page 1

1. An Inquiry whether a Catalogue of the

Armies fent into the Field is an effential

Part of an Epic Poem,

2. An Examination of the Catalogue of Silius

Italicus,

3. A minute Examination of Horace's Journey

to Brundufium, and of Cicero's Journey into

Cilicia,

4. On the Fafti of Ovid,

5. A Differtation on the Subject of Medals,

6. An Account of a Letter addressed to Cocchi,

by Chevalier L. G. Aretino, refpecting

fome Tranfactions in the Cifalpine Gallic

War. A. U. C. 529,

7. Upon the Triumphs of the Romans,

8. An Account of a MS. by the Abbé G. V.
Gravina, Del Governo Civile di Roma,

II. Effay on the Study of Literature,

III. Letter from Mr. Gibbon to Mr. Langer,

IV. Notes;

1. Note to the Preface of the First Volume,

2. Notes to the Memoirs,

3.

to the Letters,

4. Note to the Preface of the Third Volume,

VOL. VII.

a 2

ib.

6

8

26

30

33

42

77

79

143

147

ib.

ibid.

182

185

5. Notes to the Extraits Raifonnés de mes Lectures,

Page 185

187

6. to the Extracts from the Journat,

to the Remarks and detached Pieces,

7.

8.

199

9.

to the Effay fur l'Etude de la Littérature, 192

to the Critical Obfervations on the Defign

of the Sixth Book of the Eneid,

206

10.

to the Vindication of the Hiftory of the

Decline and Fall,

11. Note to the Address, &c.

12. Tranflation of the Notes,

13. Index,

211

213

214

225

A COLLECTION

A

COLLECTION

OF MY

REMARKS,

AND

DETACHED PIECES,

ON DIFFERENT SUBJECTS.

N° I.

23d December 1763.

Į

ALL epic poets feem to confider an exact catalogue

of the armies which they fend into the field, and of the heroes by whom they are commanded, as a neceffary and effential part of their poems. A commentator is obliged to juftify this practice; but to what reader did it ever give pleasure? Such catalogues destroy the interest and retard the progrefs of the action, when our attention to it is most alive. All the beauties of detail, and all the ornaments of poetry, fcarcely fuffice to amufe our wearinefs; a weariness produced by fuch enumerations even in hiftorical works, but which are pardoned in them, because neceffary. In hiftory, the victory commonly depends on the number and quality of the troops; but in epic poetry, it is always decided by the protection of the gods and the marvellous valor of the hero. Achilles is invincible; his myrmidons are fcarcely known. Homer has indeed given a catalogue; yet this perhaps VOL. VII.

B