BOOK I.] Pliny s Epistle to T. Vespasian. 19 



which he compiled from the Foundation of Rome, thus pro- 

 tested : That he had gotten Glory enough by his former 

 Writing, and might now be at ease, but that his Mind was 

 so little able to abide Repose, that it could not subsist but in 

 labour. But, surely, in finishing those Chronicles, he should 

 have respected the Glory of a People of Conquerors, who 

 had advanced the Honour of the Roman Name, rather than 

 displayed his own Praise : his Merit had been the greater to 

 have continued his History for Love of the Subject, rather 

 than his private Pleasure; to have preferred the Gratification 

 of Rome to his own mere Pleasure. As touching myself 

 (forasmuch as Domitius Piso saith, " That Books ought to be 

 Treasuries, and not bare Writings"), I will be bold to say, 

 that in Thirty-six Books I have comprised 20,000 Things 

 that are worthy of Consideration, and these I have collected 

 out of about 2000 Volumes that I have diligently read (and 

 of which there are few that Men otherwise learned have 

 ventured to meddle with, for the deep Matter therein con- 

 tained), and those written by one hundred several excellent 

 Authors ; besides a Multitude of other Matters, which either 

 were unknown to our former Writers, or Experience has lately 

 ascertained. And yet we cannot doubt but there are many 

 Things which we have overlooked : for we are Men, and 

 employed in a Multiplicity of Affairs ; and we follow these 

 Studies at vacant Times; that is to say, by Night Season 

 only ; so that you may know, that to accomplish this we 

 have neglected no Time which was due to your Service. 

 The Days we assign to your Person ; we sleep only to satisfy 

 Nature, contenting ourselves with this Reward, that whilst 

 we study (as Varro saith) these Things, we gain so many 

 Hours to our Life ; for surely we live then only when we 

 are awake. Considering those Occasions and Hindrances, I 

 had no Reason to promise much ; but as you have embol- 

 dened me to dedicate my Books to you, yourself supply what- 

 ever in me is wanting ; not that I place Dependency on the 

 Worth of the Work ; so much as that by this Means it will 

 be better esteemed, for many Things there be that appear 



