PRi'.iAcr.. 33 



By my litcrarv IVionds of the leash, who will alone probably 

 condescend to open the following- little treatise, it will be 

 expected, after this too prolix defence of active field-amuse- 

 ments, and too selfish gratification of personal regret, that I 

 should particularly state the reasons which have induced me to 

 devote a few intervals of leisure to the version and illustration 



of an ancient courser, dignified by Mr. Gibbon with the title of Decline and 

 ' *= -^ Fall, Vol. VII. 



'' the eloquent and philosophic Arrian." . c. 42. 



A task so often thrown aside Marmion, In- 



iiri 1 • J • J troduction to 



When leisure sjraver cares denied. ^ 



^ Canto IV. 



But an objection in limine must be first answered to a 

 modern reader giving up any of the "horse vacivae" of his 

 library even to the perusal of the cynegetical writers of anti- 

 quity, much less to their collation ; as treating forsooth of lowly 

 animals, in their nature irrational and ferine. 



Should any one address me in the language of the old 

 nurse to Phsedra— 



Ti Kvvrjyeaicoi' Koi aol /neXeVrjs ; Euripidis Hip- 



polyt. V. 22C. 



or of Menedemus to Chremes — 



Tantumne est ab re tua otii tibi Terentii Heau- 



Aliena ut cures, eaque nihil quaa ad te attiuenl ? ton. act. ii. sc. 



I would reply, that I do not consider these authors as afford- 

 ing unsuitable mental recreation to any literary gentleman, be 

 his vocation what it may ; nor as rendering him amenable to 

 the charge of Dr. Young of being "a polite apostate."^ Love of Fame, 



1. Many of the Greek and Latin classics having been edited by English Divines, 

 the latter fell under the lasii of Young in the memorable lines, 



Wlien churchmen Scripture for the Classics (juit, 

 Polite apostates from God's grace to wit. Sec. 



