TO

JULIUS CHARLES HARE.

MY DEAR HARE,

You will not be surprised, though you have received no previous intimation of my intention, to find this volume inscribed with your name. At the close of a work which has occupied a considerable portion of many years of my life, my thoughts naturally revert to the scenes and objects in the midst of which it was begun to the days when we were living within the walls of the same college, and associated together in labours to which we have still reason to look back with pleasure. How much this work is indebted for whatever is good in it to that intimacy, and more especially to that literary partnership, it would not become me to say, even if I were able distinctly to point it out. But I am conscious that it would probably have been less faulty, if I had more constantly considered it as subject to your inspection. This dedication comes too late either to raise a suspicion that it is meant

to bias your judgment, or to incur the charge of presumption, as inviting the scrutiny of an eye so critical and so familiar with the best models, to what I myself feel to be a very imperfect essay. You will accept it as it is meant, for a token of friendship and esteem which neither time nor distance can abate, and with which I remain,

MY DEAR HARE,

Yours faithfully,

C. ST. DAVID'S.

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE FIRST EDITION.

THE plan of the work begun in this volume has been considerably enlarged since it was first undertaken, and the Author fears that a critical eye may be able to detect some traces of this variation from the original design, in the manner of treating one or two subjects. He would be glad if he might believe that this was its chief defect. But he is most desirous that the object which he has had in view should be understood.

He thought it probable that his work might fall into the hands of two different classes of readers, whose wants might not always exactly coincide, but were equally worthy of attention; one consisting of persons who wish to acquire something more than a superficial acquaintance with Greek history, but who have neither leisure nor means to study it for themselves in its original sources; the other of such as have access to the ancient authors, but often feel the need of a guide and an interpreter. The first of these classes is undoubtedly by far the largest; and it is for its satisfaction that the work is principally designed. But the Author did not think that this ought to prevent him from entering into the discussion of subjects which he is aware must be chiefly, if not solely, interesting to readers of the other description, and he has therefore dwelt on the earlier part of

the history at greater length than would have been proper in a merely popular narrative. Perhaps he may venture to add, that it is the part which seemed to him to have been most neglected by preceding English writers, and to deserve more attention than it had commonly received among us. It was written before the first (the last published) volume of Mr. Clinton's Fasti had appeared.

Another consequence resulting from the nature of his plan, is, that he has found it necessary to subjoin a greater number of notes and references than may seem to accord with the unpretending form of the work. He regrets the room which they occupy, and would have been glad to have thought himself at liberty to omit them. But he believes he may safely appeal to the experience of every one conversant with these matters, to attest, that they have not been needlessly multiplied. Wherever it could be done without presuming too much on the reader's knowledge, he has contented himself with generally pointing out the sources from which he has drawn, and has only introduced a particular reference, where either his conclusions might be thought questionable, or the precise passage which he had in his mind was likely to escape notice, or was peculiarly interesting and instructive. If however he should be thought not to have observed the right mean in this respect, or sometimes to have addressed himself to too narrow a circle, or even to have amused himself instead of his readers, he consoles himself by the prospect, that in the progress of his work, as its subject becomes more generally familiar and attractive, he shall have less and less need of indulgence on this head.

There is another point, on which, though of little importance, he wishes to guard against a misunder