honours are conferred on the conqueror of Porto Bello, and the afferter of the antient glory of the British flag? Let them reflect on the ruined caftles of Carthagena; there the envious Spaniard will give more permanent and illuftrious honours to the name of VERNON, than all the pompous legends of heraldry.

SCIPIO is justly admired for his continence, Cato for purity of manners, and Fabricius for temperance; these were Romans, and the prime of her city, when Rome was, in the zenith of her glory, renowned through the universe for virtue and liberty: yet, however celebrated in history, they were not utterly deaf to the voice of ambition; which, to have refifted, would have conveyed their names to pofterity with a

brighter

brighter and more exalted luftre than the deftruction of Carthage, or the oppofition of Cæfar and tyranny. It has been your misfortune, Sir, to live in a more degenerate age; yet you have shewn a contempt of that ambition which fullied the glories of these eminent favourites of antiquity: you are content to let your actions bear their own teftimonial to pofterity; and, without envy, can behold ftars, garters, and coronets, conferred on your cotemporaries. This evinces a truly great and noble mind; a a mind confcious, that having lived and laboured only for the joint service of prince and people, is the nobleft compenfation of all the toil which attended it, and that a good name is fuperior to all titles. Therefore, in full confidence, Sir, that you deferve the regard of every candid English

Englishman, the AUTHOR, by thus prefixing your name to the FIRST VOLUME of this work, takes á public opportunity of profeffing to the world how much he is,

SIR,

Your most respectful

and obedient fervant,

R. ROLT.

C

ICERO bas judiciously remarked, that the first law of history, is to advance no falfhood, and fupprefs no truth: hence it is evident, that the chief quality the public fhould expect in a biftorian, is fincerity; and that be fhould let nothing escape him which may forfeit the confidence of his readers. An author, dependent on a government, concerned in the events which he relates, will find himself too greatly embarrassed to reconcile truth with flattery and particular interefts. Defpreaux, the celebrated biftorian of France, who was nominated by Lewis XIV. jointly with Monfieur Racine, to write the history of his reign, was sensible of this difficulty; and ingenuously confeffed, that he knew not what reafons to alledge for the juftification of the war against Holland in 1672: which was a bold inftance of integrity from a fubject of fo arbitrary a prince, at the head of fo defpotic a government. The author of the prefent undertaking, has been honoured with the favour

and

and confidence of fome eminent perfons, who were principally concerned in many of the important events comprized in his work; and, as he aims at nothing but uncorrupted impartiality, doubts not but his boneft endeavours will obtain that encouragement, the public never fail to confer, on fuch as labour only to advance the general intereft of the nation.

UNLIMITED power in one person, seems to have been the first and natural recourfe of mankind from diforder and rapine; and fuch a government must be acknowledged to be better than no government at all; but all reftrictions of power, made by laws, or participation of fovereignty, among feveral perfons, are apparent improvements made upon what began in that unlimited power; for abfolute power in one perfon, as generally exercifed, is not indeed government, but, at beft, clandeftine tyranny, fupported by the confederates, or rather the favourite flaves, of the tyrant.

LIBERTY is therefore effential to the happinefs of men, and they who refign life itself, rather than part with it, do only a prudent action; but thofe who lay it down, and voluntarily expose themfelves to death in behalf of their friends and country, do an beroic one: the more exalted part of our fpecies are moved by fuch generous impulfes as thefe; but even the community, the mafs of mankind, when convinced of the danger of their civil rights, have, in all ages, and all nations, been anxious of preferving to themfelves that dearest of all poffeffions, Liberty. This generous ardour made Greece fo long, and fo formidably, independent; in Rome, this love of pa

rents,