STORY is a pleasing and an useful science, ands the regard and consideration of all interest in their own species, and in the 3 of the world in which they dwell.— ur attention to past ages and events, and our view the rise of states, their civilization, the revolutions by which they progress agitated, and the causes of their declencay. In the annals of the world we bea mirror, the different characters who their parts in the drama of life, and distinguished themselves either by their heir vices. We there behold the various cenes which have taken place in the great uman affairs. The Assyrian, the Persian, 1, and the Roman empire, all pass in perfore our eyes, and present a view, which see with indifference, of the instability al fluctuations of all things human. y," says Cicero, "is the attestation of orch of truth, the storehouse of memory, f life, and the herald of antiquity*;" and at "for a person to be ignorant of the ch have preceded his own time, is always n a state of childhood+." Indeed, if our were confined to the narrow limits of xperience, and restricted to those events within our own observation, the progress in art and science would be completely and men would remain in utter ignorance e discoveries and inventions which the he world have unfolded and made known. er hand, the prudent reflections which hiss, or enables us to make, teach us to be Cic. lib. 2. de Orat. + Cic. in Orat. wise before our time, and are more efficacious than all the moral lessons of the greatest masters. It appeared to the compiler a matter of surprise, that, since the utility of the study of history, and the necessity of its forming a prominent part in the education of youth are fully acknowledged, some manual of this kind had not before been attempted. In this volume, the reader will find an epitome of the most memorable transactions—a rapid, yet, it is hoped, a faithful delineation of events which have taken place in the several states and nations of antiquity from the earliest records of time, and of those illustrious characters from which history has been justly designated "philosophy teaching by example.” Abridgments, which contain the substance and the spirit of ponderous tomes, are useful in every science, and greatly promote the labours of the student. They are not to be disregarded, merely because they give only the outlines and lineaments of the subjects of which they treat. A map, which shows every town, village, and hamlet in a country, does not supersede one which delineates only the larger cities and more prominent objects. The work of Justin is useful, though merely an abridgment of that of Trogus Pompeius. The present edition has been carefully revised and corrected; and, where necessary, certain portions have been added. Questions on the history of each country have also been annexed. These, it is expected, will enable the student, with greater facility, to make himself master of the subject. By this means, the work assumes the character of what it really is a Grammar of Ancient History, and is rendered greatly superior to the edition of 1807, and to those since published. - Rectory, Clifton, October 1, 1831, |
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