Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/35

 dumps, and always holding forth with a dimal face and a canting tone.


 * ——ridiculum acri
 * Fortius & melius magnas plerumque ecat res.

Upon the whole, after the coolet review of this undertaking, and the various reflections which I have been making upon it, for thee five years pat, I can ee nothing in it, to repent of, but the want of ufficient abilities to treat a ubject of uch general importance in the manner which it deerves. But I hope the reader will excue ome imperfections, when he coniders the nature of my tinted Education, that I was allowed to continue but three years at Oxford, and was not wenty four years of age, when I compleated this undertaking.

Give me leave, for a concluion, to indulge the natural vanity of an author, by applying to my own performance the elf-exaltation of the celebrated Horace; which may eem the more excuable in me, ince the gratification of this human foible is the only Reward, which I am ever like to receive for all my zeal and all my labours!


 *  monumentum ære perennius,
 * Regalique itu pyramidum altius,
 * Quod non imber edax, non Aquilo impotens
 * Poit diruere, aut innumerabilis
 * Annorum eries, & fuga temporum.
 * Non omnis moriar.