For the Use of those who are desirous of ac-

quiring or recovering a competent Know-
ledge of the LATIN LANGUAGE.

By C. SMART, A. M.
OF PEMBROKE-COLLEGÉ, CAMBRIDGE.

EDINBURGH:
PAINTED FOR J. DICKSON, EXCHANGE

AND
JAMES DUNCAN, GLASGOW,

MDCCLXXYII.

BRIT

BRAR

PRE FACE.

HE following version being the work

, haps, too much the business of his life, fome acount of his motives for undertaking it may seem necessary. In the first place, then, there was reason to believe that a thing of this kind, properly executed, would be very useful to those who were desirous of acquiring or recovering a competent knowledge of the Latin tongue. Secondly, the extraordinary success which attempts of this kind have met with, though by men who manifestly did not understand the author, any otherwise than through a French medium; and tho' printed in large volumes, and sold at a proportionable price; gave sufficient reason for the translator to hope, that his labour would not be in vain ; I say labour, for genius, if he had any pretensions to it, could not have been exert. ed in the work before us.

The purchafer will herein find, that cheapness and convenience have been confulted for his service.

THOUGH every line is construed almost verbatim, yet absolute baldness has been, as much as posible, avoided.

The learned reader need not be informed that this version was not intended for him ; though some of the most eminent of that character have condescended to examine the manufcript, and given it the sanction of their approbation.

With regard to the Latin text, the best editions have been diligently consulted; and it is prefumed the judicious will find in the following sheets fome emendations and improvements, which have escaped former edi. tors. What errors there may be, either of the press or othețwise, will be found, perhaps, of such a nature, and so feldom to occur, that they may be rather of fervice, by giving theyoung student some opportunities of shewing his fagacity in the discovery of them.

I SHALL take leave of my reader in the words of an old poet, which are applicable enough to this undertaking:

Dumos inter et afpera
Scruposis fequimur vadis,
Fronte exile negotiwn
Et dignum pueris putes :

Aggressis

1

Elmpit n, as

Aggreflis labor arduus
Nec tractabile pondus est.
Par exanimis æftus eft
Ceu fublimia dilleras
Par eft judicii mora
Pompæ gloria vilis eft.

TERENT. MAURUS.

-med im; Chat the

neir

N. B. This work will be particularly useful to such fo

reign Gentlemen as are already acquainted with the Latin, and are desirous of being masters of the English tongue.

eft d e

Lectoribus eruditis, præfertim iis, qui in ludis literariis operam navant.

in

N quibufdam interpretari

, ideoque locos com

nes parùm caftos honeftâ (uti speramus) fraude ad verecundiam quodammodo revocavimus. Tantum enim abest ut juvenes ab alteriscis (quibus editiones in usum Delphini scatent) quo minùs, quædam legant, impediantur, ut potiùs exinde dirigatur, imò invitetur eorum curya in pravým curiofitas.