AN eafily difcernible inferiority will enable the learned reader to diftinguish the notes of the Tranflator, from those of his ingenious Author. For this reafon, it might, perhaps, feem unneceffary to affix any particular mark to the first ; but as it may happen that by blending all the Notes indifcriminately together, a lefs attentive observer might imagine that those of the original Compofer had been written by the Tranflator, a K is placed at the conclufion of the additional notes. Where remarks may prove either false or frivolous, it must be a contemptible act of meanness which could endeavour to have them afcribed to an author incapable of producing fuch. To every reader, whofe knowledge of hiftorical and literary fubjects is preferved by a tenacious memory, this humble addition of remarks must prove abfolutely needlefs; but memory is not the perpetual attenA dant dant upon learning, and the scholar, who enjoys an imagination too lively to retain a regular detail of facts, will forgive the intrusion of matters which he may, posfibly, have forgotten. To the reader, who is lefs converfant in these subjects, it is. prefumed that no apology can be neceffary. Senfible of the great difficulty of infufing into verfions the spirit of the originals, it is not eafy to describe the diffidence and apprehenfions with which the Tranflator commits his labour to the prefs. Even now, whilft he is writing, the vanity of a second-hand author entirely forfakes him, and he trembles left he should be taxed, not only with having ennervated the force of expreffions, by running beyond the limits of a merely literal construction, but thrown them into interpretations abfurdly diftant from their real meaning. The nice difcernment of every fault is folely peculiar to the few, who are capable of writing with elegance and perfpicuity. As their candour hath generally generally rifen in proportion to their knowledge of the hardness of such a taík, he would willingly flatter himself that he might caft this first attempt before them, after having premised, that if he had been much diffatisfied with it in the closet, he should never have permitted its appearance in public. If he hath done wrong, it is the refult of ignorance alone. It is not in his nature to treat with disrespect, that clafs of readers, for whom this work is calculated. A 2 English drefs, a compofition which you understand so perfectly in the French dress. The peculiar difpofition which humbly avoids the praife, it conftantly attempts to merit, fhall fecure you even against the violence of a modern dedication. I have been too intimate with you to be ignorant that panegyric is as painful to you, as the bitterness of invective to another. But yet you must not be fo unconscionable as to fuppofe, that because your memory is too treacherous to remind you of the favours which you have conferred, they can poffibly have escaped mine. Through the engaging commerce of an honest friendship, you have unmercifully incumbered me with an enormous debt. I have no method of confeffing it, but this; and thus, instead of being payed, you must become a more capital creditor than ever. A larger fum of gratitude is owing, in recompence for the privilege of fubfcribing myself, With inviolable esteem, Dear Sir, Your fincere, and affectionate friend, THE TRANSLATOR. |
