^9^ Italian literature. -^^S' '5- 



relative to the promulgation of the laws, which was 

 thus concluded. 



It would be depriving this narration of one of its 

 most interesting parts, if I fhould omit to present 

 your readers with the laws of Arcadia in their ori- 

 ginal form. They may serve as a model, on a small 

 scale, of a truly free government. To good sense, 

 time, and observation, unincumbered by metaphysi- 

 cal squabblings, and sophistical arguments, did the 

 founders of the Roman Arcadia trust the permanency 

 of their respectable literary republic, guarding by 

 wise laws its constitution, alike against the tumults 

 of democracy, and the overbearing influence of aris- 

 tocracy. Happy were it for Rome, once the queen 

 of nations, that flie might yet emerge from the dark 

 cloud that has covered her since the fall of that em- 

 pire, which owed its origin to superior energy in a 

 free constitution of government ; and as the course 

 of political knowledge even here, as well as in most 

 other parts of Europe, seems to be 1< fs obstructed,, 

 and the reign of bigotry seems to be near an end, it- 

 is probable that it may yet emerge. Hoc erat in,t 

 votis, quod Dii fiixint. 



As an Englifh translation cannot sufficiently con- 

 vey the beauties of the manly stile of the original 

 Latin, I presume this will be acceptable to a great 

 part of your readers. 



Your readers, who are conversant with the Latin 

 clafsics, will undoubtedly relifh the beauties of the 

 original, for the others I ft all endeavour to give 

 hem a translation, which, if it does rot convey that 

 nervous masculine stile of which the Latin language 



