a Censor of this Work? When I first thought of this Enterprise of mine, I never reckoned you in the Number of those Judges that should stoop to pass sentence upon these Writings. It is a common case, and incident to Men of deep Learning, that their Judgment be rejected in this behalf. Even that illustrious Orator, M. Tullius, who for Wit and Learning had not his Fellow, useth the Benefit of this Liberty: and (whereat we may well marvel) maintaineth the Action by an Advocate, taking Example (for his Defence) from Lucilius: for in one Part of his Works thus he saith, I wish not the learned Persius to read these Books of mine; but I prefer Lælius Decimus. Now if such a one as Lucilius, who was the first that durst control the Writings of others, had reason thus to say; if Cicero borrowed the same Speech in his Treatise of the Republic[1], how much greater Cause have I to decline the Censure of a competent Judge? But I am cut off from this refuge, in that I expressly make choice of you in this Dedication of my Work: for it is one Thing to have a Judge, either selected by Plurality of Voices, or cast upon a Man by drawing Lots; and another Thing to choose and nominate him from all others: and there is great Difference between that Provision which we make for a Guest solemnly bidden and invited, and the sudden Entertainment which is ready for a Stranger who
- ↑ This work of Cicero, entitled "De Republicâ," is more than once referred to by Pliny. The high standard of morals which it upheld caused it to be much respected by the most eminent Fathers of the Latin Church: insomuch that it is thought to have suggested to St. Augustine the idea of his celebrated work, "De Civitate Dei." During the dark ages, however, the Treatise "De Republicâ" was so completely lost, that upon the revival of letters, not a single manuscript of it could be any where discovered. At length, about thirty years since, a large portion of it was found by Angelo Maï, then Librarian of the Vatican, in a parchment manuscript. The parchment had been washed, and again used for a manuscript; but the original writing was so far from having been entirely effaced by the ablution, that the large Roman letters were soon rendered legible again by the aid of a peculiar process. The recovered portion of this valuable work, being about one-third of the entire Treatise, was printed in London in one volume, 8vo. 1823.—Wern. Club.
