Tlinies Epiftle to T, Vejjafan. 



great witCwIiich otherwife in me was ever mean and fimple ) neither adinit they 

 any digrefsions,orationSjfpeeches,and difcourfesjoeyec admirable cafes & va^ 

 riable chaunces,norany other oceurrent^either pleafant to rehearie, or deleda- 

 ble to hear.The truth is this,the nature of all things in this woild;^ that is to fay, 

 matters concerning our daily and ordinary life;,are here deciphered 8<r declared, 

 and that in barrain tearms, without any goodly fhevv of gay and glorious phra- 

 fes: and vvhatfoever I have put dovvn,concerne it doth thebafeft points therof^ 

 infomuch as for the moffc part 1 am to deliver the thing in hand^either in rufliicali 

 lpeech,or els in forrain, nay^in barbarous language/uch alfo as may not well be 

 uttered,but with referving honour to the hearers, and reverence to the readers* 

 Moreover, the way that I have entred into,hath not ben troden befo retime by 

 other writers, being indeed fo ftrange uncouth, as a mans mind would noc 

 willingly travell therin.No Latin author among us hath hitherto once ventured 

 Upon the fame argument, no one Grecian whatfoever hath gone through it and 

 handled all : and no marvell,for many of us love not to take any pains,butRudy 

 rather to pen matters of delight and pkafure^True it is^ I muft needs fay ^that o- 

 thers have made profefsion hereof, but they have done it with fuch fubtsltfe and 

 deepnefre,that all their travels and writings by that means,lie as it were dead and 

 buried in darknefle.Now come take upon me tofpeake of every thing,and 

 to gather as it werea compleatbody of arts and fciences (which the Greeks call 

 ly}iVK?icc7rvciJkios ^that are either altogether unknown or become doubtful, through 

 the overmuch curiofitie of fine wits : again,other matters are deciphered in fuch 

 long difcourfes,that they are tedious to the readers,infomuch as they loath and 

 abhor them. A difficult enterprife it is therfore to make old fluffe new,to give au-- • 

 thoritie 3C credit to noveltieS;,to polifliand fmooth that whichis worneand out 

 of ufe,to fet a glofle SC luftre upon that which is dim and dark, to grace Sc coun- 

 tenance things difdained.to procure beleef to matters doubtfulli6<:in one word, 

 to reduce nature to all,and all to their own nature^Andverely to give the attempt 

 only 8c fhew a defire to efFecflfuch a defTeigne as this, although the fame be not 

 brought about and compafledjWere a brave and magnificent enterprife.Certes 

 of this (pirit am I, that thofe learned men Sc great ftudents, who making no fi:ay 

 but breaking through all difficulties,have preferred the profit of pofterity before 

 the tickling and pleafure ofitching ears in thefe daiesjwhichi may proteft that 1 

 have aimed at,no tin this worke only ,but alfo in other of my books alreadie:and 

 Iprofeffe,that I wonder much atr.Lm;i!j,otherwife a moft renowned 8C famous 

 writetjwhoinaprefacetooneof hisbooksof the Roman hiftorie which he co^ 

 piled from the foundation of Rome, thusproteftedj That he had gotten glorie 

 y nough by his former writing5and might fit ftill now Sc take his eafe^but that his 

 mind was loreftlefTe and fo ill could abide repofe, thatcontrariwifeit wasfed 

 and nourifhed with travell 3C nothing els. Butfurely me thinks^in finifhsng thofe 

 Chronicles,he{houId in dutie have refpeded the glory ofthat people which had 

 conquered the world and advanced the honour of the Roraane name , rather 

 than difplaied his owne praife and commendation : Ywis,his demerit had been 

 the greatetjto have continued hisfborie as he did,for love of the fubied matter^ 

 and not for his privat pleafure^ to have 1 fay performed that peece of work more 

 to gratifie the ftate of Rome,than to content his owne mind and affedion . As 

 touching my felfeCforafmuch as Domims ^ifo faith;,ThaC bookes ought to be 



trea- 



