I. The first of these periods may be traced from the age of Trajan and the Antonines, when the Roman monarchy, having attained its full ftrength and maturity, began to verge towards its decline; and will extend to the fubversion of the Western Empire, by the barbarians. of Germany and Scythia, the rude ancestors of the most polished nations of modern Europe. This extraordinary revolution, which fubjected Rome to the power of a Gothic conqueror, was completed about the beginning of the fixth century. II. The fecond period of the Decline and Fall of Rome, may be fuppofed to commence with the reign of Juftinian, who by his laws, as well as by his victories, reftored a tranfient splendour to the Eaftern Empire. It will comprehend the invasion of Italy by the Lombards; the conqueft of the Afiatic and African provinces by the Arabs, who embraced the religion of Mahomet; the revolt of the Roman people against the feeble princes of Conftantinople; and the elevation of Charlemagne, who, in the year eight hundred, eftablished the fecond, or Ger man Empire of the weft. III. The laft and longest of these periods includes about fix centuries and a half; from the revival of the Western Empire, till the taking of Conftantinople by the Turks, and the extinction of a degenerate race of princes, who continued to affume the titles of Cæfar and Auguftus, after their dominions were contracted to the limits of a single city; in which the language, as well as manners, of the ancient Romans, had been long fince forgotten. The writer who should undertake to relate the events of this period, would find himself obliged to enter into the general history of the Crufades, as far as they contributed to the ruin of the Greek Empire; and he would scarcely be able to restrain his curiofity from making fome inquiry into the state of the city of Rome, during the darkness and confusion of the middle ages. As I have ventured, perhaps too haftily, to commit to the press, a work, which, in every fenfe of the word, deferves the epithet of imperfect, I confider myself as contracting an engagement to finish, moft probably in a second volume the first of these memorable periods; and to deliver to the Public, the complete history of the Decline and Fall of Rome, from the age of the Antonines, to the fubverfion of the Western Empire. With regard to the fubfequent periods, though I may entertain fome hopes, I dare not prefume to give any affurances. The execution of the extensive plan which I have described, would connect the ancient and modern hiftory of the World; but it would require many years of health of leifure, and of perfeverance. BENTINCK-STREET, The Author, as it frequently happens, took an inadequate measure of his growing work. The remainder of the firit period has filled two volumes in quarto, the four laft volumes of this octavo edition. ADVERTISEMENT. DILIGENCE and accuracy are the only merits which an hiftorical writer may afcribe to himself; if any merit indeed can be affumed from the performance of an indispensable duty. I may therefore be allowed to fay, that I have carefully examined all the original materials that could illuftrate the subject which I had undertaken to treat. Should I ever complete the extensive design which has been sketched out in the Preface, I might perhaps conclude it with a critical account of the authors confulted during the progrefs of the whole work; and however fuch an attempt might incur the cenfure of oftentation, I am perfuaded, that it would be fufceptible of entertainment as well as information. At present I shall content myself with a single observation. The Biographers, who, under the reigns of Diocletian and Conftantine, compofed, or rather compiled, the lives of the Emperors, from Hadrian to the fons of Carus, are usually mentioned under the names of Elius Spartianus, Julius Capitolinus, Ælius Lampridius, Vulcatius Gallicanus, Trebellius Pollio, and Flavius Vopifcus. But there is fo much perplexity in the titles of the MSS.; and fo many disputes have arisen |