Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-12-18

.sa Essay on his L!ft aHd Genus Votes,
Sxs,sIemsnfs, &c.
ny ARTHUR MURPHY, ESQ.
tn, FRS. .iaserlean, from, tie LaSs London
Ediion.
With the Authors last corrections
As = brief Recommendation of the above
WORKS 10 those 70 whom they may not be all
ready known, the foilosins noiice OF them
is coaied iYorl the London Reusw OF the
time when ,aey were 81 ST published.
. rhousb,' says this Reeves, II De
,ri, the translation of Tacitus that we have
nov TO DO, not Win the character OF that OH
.,i,.,i and gyest historian himself, Il would DC
d;s,e,,I,, perhaps uanaulrai aud lndceorous,
n PASS by The prssen, opportunity OF recos-
n Sin.y re merit OF that sublime genus, AID
;,iaiag in he general vaice OF applause ana
a8o;rs,;o-,. Cornelius Tfcitus, ava rare
f,i;ri,y af circumstances, u4lIcd III hmse.i
ali taose rclsGonsr qusi'i'es, anu accomplish
men,s, thst are requisite % form sfea1 MS
,e-i.n He was of senatorial rank ahd IN
that or;fsr hiShly Distinguished, Fe enJoF-
FL the EAvor ef the princes sad ssVercss5s'S o.
the ciy.;:zed world, aac keid civil oiilces OF
the hi-aest dignity AID iTnpoFtance lie pos
ssSseti a native pIo3ity s elevation OF niho
aad ,hesc nolIe qualities we're heightened
.p1 cou6rple,i BY All haAitGal coavsrsancy
wis the history OF he Rom@n republic, snd
an ee,,ca,iou IN the , inCiples OF e su9'in-
est philosophy. / he Droi"uHdreSs OF ais re-
Aectiors the precision o. his aiou9n as
elegant am, energetic breviiy. and aonlethlng
remarkably pi-:uresaSe and dramatic IN MS
,,snner conspire, With the dignity and i'm
p3rtance &C his sUi.siects, TO ciethe nj. WORKS
win never filling bloom, ard rs nSeT MS
fine immortal He records the Actions the
,ouDsels. tbs sccre; motives OF the great ac'
tors in the greatest political drsH'a that was
.vrr sxhil,i,ed OF The world; and tie Hlsto-
rv &c T.citys. as IS veil observed by has &C
r,,,,Iisbe,i translator anil critic, IS 81 PhIio-
sophy tes. hing by example
.rSo contents of these volumes seem na.u-
r-rv 10 a6,ni, of the following division -
/ = dedication t. the right honorable Id
,,,,ra Rprke; an Essay on the lite and gen.
,,s of Ta-i.,,s; the annals of Tacitus, with
s,,r,.,l-men,s and an appendix; seneE.eS:-
cal table, vi.h an index OF the Iasa's -
notes on TIE annals and appendix, and maps
&c the ancient world as known to the 10
man. ard of Asia. , The h's,orT OF lad
tus, with an appendix. and noie, TO the MS
tory ana appendix and maps o. the cry OF
Irs.,ss!ers, and of Italy 5. The celebrated
valuable Treatise Gu the manners OF the
Ceru.ns. with notes and a map OF ancient
Germany and the life OF Agnoois, With
n,fas, and a geographical teble Of the places,
r;ye-s, &c mentioned IN these volumes -
70 ,.e<e o.tAertir works of Tac:ius is added
&c az, dialogue concerning Orator!, OF watch
sc AR Murphy in aase has justly remark
ea, The CO nmentaIogS are mucn oi'ioso N
,Aeir oyinions about the real author. ms
vn-s. tnev all agree, Is masterpiece II the
lied: written with taste ard judgment /; en-
pertaining, profound and elegant. bus WHe-
,har-;, IL IN beascribcdto raci,us, Quinc1i!ian,
any otser perssn whom they cannot name,
e.,;anupon which they have exhausted
$50 &c je.rnins.' Mr.. Murphy, after CIV
Inv an account of the principal arguments
sre ana cgr, saws in conclusion, although he
ssa,,s :. lean 10 the opinion that 1t IS the
,,,,I,,-,;oa of Tacitus: The dispute IS otno
,,T,,,,sore: for, as Lipsia. says, whether
- ,fx, dialoeue to QG:nctilian or 10 Ia
n inconvenience N>Aif -
WIS the author, it is a performance OF I'm
common beauty.
. Mr.. Murphy has given the sense OF his
eu,bor II, pleasing and proper style even
r,,cSed not a little of ms manner N order
- do which, in SO long work, Ii was neees-
~ be master Of the whole compass OF the
E,slish language. his notes and supple.
-,,.S,,x sbew taat he is Intimately conVerssn1
viii Roman antiquity, and wi'A literature IN
.~erer,,. lie views ,,se objects that pats De-
r., Nm ws,. tee eye OF a c'is;c, Horalst'
s,,I p6iitician, and in p-raiosilsc he makes
5u,arsssiag comparisoas ss,wsen, the siina.
.;-s Se .caaraciers OF di6erlnt ancient and
-, ,r,oss ana nations
CONDITIONS.
tn. works OF Faci,us shall be put TO
49, coon as a sufficient namoer ct SUD-
- ';',,,ons shsli be ob,a red 10 justify it
rnsy sha,i be printed with nsv p'ca
va.os ; sae paper made for the purpose,
~ ,r,rsr as,sa.ion TO uniformity OF color
80 o.,,l,ty thrraSa0Ot-
S1sSs SlNA-AANr - Is1Tyere~t fNe