Page:Regal Rome, an Introduction to Roman History (1852, Newman, London, regalromeintrodu00newmuoft).djvu/10

vi fast an erroneous tradition, the more subtly we pursue its consequences, the worse does our falsehood become.

In attempting to reconstruct the picture of most ancient Rome, much aid is gained from the singular adherence of the Romans to precedent and form in the development of their constitution. This often enables the modern critic to read the ancient state of things, as the print in a rock shows to a geologist the nature of the leaf which marked it.

The learned reader will understand that to acknowledge obligations would be on the part of the writer an absurdity in such a subject. The only originality which can be here pretended, is that of having come with a fresh mind to old discussions.