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



25 



accounted more Impudent than they. Therefore, feeling 

 myself secure against these Busy-bodies, (and verily Cato 

 hath given such Fellows a proper Name when he called 

 them Vitilitigatores, by a Term elegantly compounded of 

 Vices and Quarrels: for to say a Truth, what do they else 

 but pick Quarrels and make Brawls?) I will proceed in 

 my intended Purpose. 



To conclude my Epistle : knowing that for the Good of 

 the Commonwealth you ought to be spared in any private 

 Business of your own, and especially in perusing these long 

 Volumes of mine ; to prevent such a Trouble, therefore, I 

 have adjoined to this Epistle, and prefixed before these 

 Books, the Summary or Contents of every one : and care- 

 fully have I endeavoured, that you should not need to read 

 them throughout to ascertain their Contents ; whereby alt 

 others also, after your Example, may ease themselves of the 

 like Labour: and as any Man is desirous to know this or 

 that, he may readily find in what Place to meet with the 

 same. This Plan I learned of Valerius Sorranus, one of our 

 own Latin Writers, who hath done the like before me in 

 those Books which he entitled 



Brass coin of T. Vespasian, in the possession of Mr. Coticft. 



