assed August 4, 1926 &M THE following work was begun and more than half translated by the Rev. A. W. STREET, M. A. of Pembroke College; but that gentleman being called suddenly away to fill a professorship in Bishop's College, Calcutta, the remainder of the work, as well as the care of seeing the whole through the press, devolved upon his brother, the Rev. B. STREET, B. A. Oxford, March, 1840. THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. I AM aware that it is customary for those who compile works like the present, to set forth, as a matter of course, that circumstances had compelled them to write; indulging under this pretext their restless desire of publishing, they benefit neither their readers nor the cause of literature. Having but little selfconfidence, and this being a work rather hastily compiled, I fear lest I myself should incur the same disgrace: let, then, those who use my work determine whether the following remarks do not entitle me to claim a valid excuse for publishing. Having been appointed to deliver lectures on Roman antiquities in the University of Liege, and not having by me any academic papers and notes, (those convenient substitutes for learning, and sources of information to pompous ignorance,) and being disinclined to procure them as many do, and intending to use the Latin language, I compiled, with great labour, an entire and original series of lectures on Roman antiquities; but whilst reading them, perceived that unless I drew up a compendium of them, my hearers would for the most part derive no profit from them; I therefore resolved on preparing an abridgment of what I had collected, and introduce my lectures by a dictation from it. There was, besides, no publication that I could use for this 229902 |