MEMOIR OF PLINY. 45 



splendid monument of astonishing industry, in a man 

 whose time was so much occupied in the service of 

 his country. In order fully to appreciate its merits 

 and importance, we shall direct the reader's attention, 

 1st, To its style ; 2d, To its plan ; 3d, To its facts. 

 The best judges of Latinity have uniformly pass- 

 ed the highest eulogium on Pliny as a classical 

 writer ; perhaps the most worthy of that epithet of 

 any that flourished after the age of Augustus. It 

 has been justly remarked, that had his writings perish- 

 ed, it would have been impossible to restore the lan- 

 guage of Virgil and Tacitus ; and this remark must 

 be understood, not only with respect to words, but 

 also their various acceptations and shades of mean- 

 ing when combined into sentences. Every author 

 is, more or less, the artisan of his own style ; and 

 hence the variety that exists among writers of the 

 same country, and on the same subject. The very 

 circumstance of being obliged to amass that prodi- 

 gious variety of terms and forms of expression, which 

 the abundance of his materials rendered necessary, 

 has made Pliny's History one of the richest depots of 

 the Roman tongue. It is observable also, that where- 

 ever he can indulge in general ideas or philosophic 

 views, his language assumes a tone of energy and 

 vivacity, and his thoughts somewhat of unexpect- 

 ed boldness, which tends to relieve the dryness of 

 scientific enumerations. At the same time, it can- 

 not be denied that he is too fond of seeking for points 

 and antitheses ; that he is occasionally harsh ; and that 



