Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-12-19
PROPOSALS
BY EDH.dRD ERIE,
ron PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTION,
THE WORKS
CORNELIUS TACITUS

SonN IA A1O-0 LAVAL ~
I'm Essay or his Life and Genius /; Notes,
Supplements, &c.
nv ARTHUR MURPHY, ESQ.
The first .fmericCn, from the last London
Ed ion.
With the Authors last corrections.
AS brief recomm endltion of the above
works 10 those to whom they may not be al
ready known. the following ns;iee OF them
is coeied from tne London Review OF the
time when they were first published.
/" Though" says this Review, 1t DC
with the translation OF lacisus that we nave
now to- do, not with the character OF that orr
ginaI and great historian himseif, 1t would DC
difficult, perhaps unnatural and indecorous,
10 pass by the present opportunity of recog-
nis;pg the merit of that sublime geni'.S, and
LOSING in the general voice of applause and
admiration, Cornelius Tacitus, ey rare
felicity of circumstances, united IN himself
all those relations, qualities, and accomplish
ments, that are requisite to form great MS
toriAn: He was of senatorial rank, and In
that order nj lily dis iagui9ncd. lie ENJOY
ed the favor f the princes aud severelgns OF
the civilized world, and held civil Offices OF
the highes; dignity and Importance he pos
sessed native probity * elevation oil mind
and these noble qualities were heightened
and conSraed BY al haitual cohversaRcy
with the history of the Roman republic, and
an education in the p incipies OF tie su6im-
est philosophy. The profoundnes.. OF his re-
aections. the precision OF ms dicuon MS
elegant and energetic brevliy' and aome'hi.g
remarkably picturesque and dramatic IN his
manner, conspire, with the dignity anu I'M
nortance Of his subjects, to ciothe MS works
with never fling bloom, and render lis
fine immortal He records the actions the
oounsels, the secret motives ct the great &c
tors in the creates political drama that was
ever exhibited On the world and the Hlsto-
~ nj T.citus. as is we'll observed by his ac-
comphshea translator and critic, is PhIlo-
sophy teaching by example,
The contents of these volumes seem natu-
raIly to admit of the following division =
/. dedication to the rlghr honorable 3D.
mund Burke: an Essay on the lie and senl-
n, of Tacitus; the annals OF Iacltus' with
supplements and an appendix; geneslegl'
cal table, with an index OF TIC CSsals -
notes ON the annals and appendix, and maps
&c the ancient world as known to the TO
,,.n.. and of Asia 3 The history OF laci-
tus, with an appendix, and notes to the MS
tory and appendix and maps OF the CRY OF
Jerusalem, and of Italy 5. / he celebrated
and valuable Treatise on the manners oil the
Germans, with notes and map Of ancient
Germany; and the lie Of Agrloea, with
notes, and a geographical table OF the Places,
.;y.,s Sc mentioned in these volumes -
n, tbsse au,kertfc works of laci;us is added
sc The dialogue concerning OrStory, OF which
rs Mr.. Murphy in note has justly remark
al The co nrsentstors are much divided In
,h.;r o,iniors about the real author his
,yo,t. tney ali agree, is masterpiece In the
lind. written with taste ard Judgment; en-
,er,a;n;np. profound and elegant. But whe-
thar;, i 70 beascribedto Taciius, Qmnctl.lan,
- .nv other persen whom they cannot name,
is oucs,ionupon which they nave exhausted
. store of learning MIR. Murphy, after CIV
inv an account of the principal arguments
nra and con, says 10 conclusion, athough nc
seems 20 lean 10 tie opinion tAaf II IS me
,roIuc,joe of Tacitus The dispute IS otno
;mnorta2ce for, as Lipsias says, whethsr
,,s o;ve the dialogue to Quinctilian or to Ia
.;,ne No Inconvenience can arise. Whoever
x,,s ths aatkor, it is a performance OF un
common beauty 80:
& Mr.. Murphy has given the sense OF his
author in apleasiag and proper style. even
cached not liede of his manner: IN order
to do which, in SO long work i was heee $
sarv 10 be master of the whole cshHpass OF the
E,rlish language. His notes and supple
,nsrts shew that he is intimately conversan1
With Roman antiquity, and with literature IN
nsneral. He views the objects that pass De-
Fore him with the eye OF critic, moraist'
ans noiit;cian; and in particular he makes
:S.ar.s,;.r comparisons between the siiua-
,;ons anl characters of different ancient and
,naaern ,rioes and nations
"'O''0. CONDITIONS.
The works OF raciius shall be put to
as soon as a sufficient number OF sub
P;.,;on. shall be oo,a ned 10 Justify 1t.
'etap' Thsy shall-be printed With new plea
- ;ne paper made for the purpose,