-Petite bine, Juvenefque fenefque,

·Finem Animo certum, miferifque viatica canis.

PERSIUS.

DUBLIN:

PRINTED BY R. MARCHBANK,

FOR R. MONCRIEFFE, (No.12) CAPEL-STREET

MDCCLXXIV.

T

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE following treatife has been Styled by a celebrated critic, aureum libellum; as indeed it is one of the most valuable pieces of the moral kind, that have been tranfmitted to us from the antients. The subject upon which it turns, "comes home" (as Lord Bacon fays of his own effays) to every man's bufinefs and bofom:" and the noble principles it inculcates, are fupported and inforced with all the advantage that elegance of genius can give to truth of Sentiment. It was thought therefore, that an attempt to introduce it to the acquaintance of the English reader, in a manner not altogether unworthy of the original, would be no ufeless employment of the tranflator's leifure. To this end, be bas endeavoured to pursue the fame method in conveying the fenfe of his great