HISTORY OF HERODOTUS, TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK. WITH NOTES. BY THE REVEREND WILLIAM BELO E. IN FOUR VOLUME S. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LEIGH AND SOTHEBY, M DCC XCI. WHOEVER has employed his time on a long and laborious work, is anxious to prove to others, as well as to himfelf, the utility of what he has performed; fince the imputation and the consciousness of having mifapplied fuch efforts, are almoft equally unpleafing. If authority. be allowed an adequate juftification, the tranflator from claffic writers has little occafion to argue in his own defence, the practice of the ableft men in the most enlightened countries, being undeniably on his fide. Of Italian and French litera-. ture, translations from the claffics form no fmall or unimportant part; and if in our own language, accurate verfions of many ancient authors be still wanting, the deficiency is owing, I conceive, to fome other cause, rather than to any disapprobation of such works in those by whom they might have been performed. Perhaps the literary rank affigned in this country to tranflators, is not elevated enough to gratify the ambition of the learned; perhaps the curiofity of the public has not yet been turned fufficiently that way, to make the reward in general proportionate to the labour. Whatever be the caufe that more has not been done, tranflations of eminent merit have appeared among us in a fufficient number, VOL. I. a to to prove decifively the opinion held of them by fome of our most accurate and judicious fcholars. In tranflating the Ancient Poets, our countrymen have, indeed, very honourably exerted their talents, and their fuccefs has proved that our language is fully calculated for the transfufion of the highest claffical beauties while the French, among whom the demand for tranflations has urged them to be performed at any rate, have been obliged to content themselves with profaic versions of the noblest poems of antiquity. The honour thus acquired, ought to have encouraged us to proceed in laying open the remaining ftores of ancient literature. But it is a humbler tafk to follow the fteps of a profe writer, than to emulate the flights and harmony of a poet. There appears to be only one important objection, that can be made to works of this nature, which is founded on a fear that they may encourage indolence, and introduce the fuperficial oftentation of a knowledge neither found nor accurate, to the prejudice of real learning. That vanity may be furnished, by translations, with the means of pretending to acquifitions which she has not made, cannot perhaps be denied, and fuch effects may certainly be traced in many writings of our continental neighbours; but that literature will thereby be injured, is not equally capable of proof. The foundation of learning is ufually laid, if laid at all, and the tafte for it imbibed, if it can be communicated, before the ftudent has the liberty of confidering whether it is easier to read the ancients in their own languages or in modern ver fions; and till we hear that fome perfons have studied Greek, because there were books in that language of which they could not find translations, we may rest satisfied, that few, if any, will neglect fuch studies on the mere profpect of that affiftance. But an abuse, if it did exift, ought not to preclude the ufe; and whoever recollects how much our favourite Shakfpeare enlarged the treasures of his active mind, by information deduced from thefe fecondary fources, will confefs, at leaft, that an excellent, as well as an impertinent or idle ufe may be made of translated Claffics. In this country, where fuccefsful industry produces elevation of rank, and gives accefs to polifhed fociety, there will always be many persons, who with enlightened and difcerning minds, and a confiderable difpofition to literature, are debarred from the perufal of ancient authors by the want of a fuitable education. Many by birth entitled to every advantage, are early called away from learning to scenes of active occupation. Some fuch I have seen, and highly value, who, not ashamed of a deficiency occafioned by unavoidable circumstances, or by honest, useful, and honourable occupations, are defirous to form, if poffible, complete collections of approved and elegant tranflations. But whether the defire of fuch aid be thus general, or directed only to particular authors, whether it be entertained by men or women, it is liberal in its kind, and ought by all means to be gratified, Nor |