Page:The Commentaries of the Emperor Marcus Antoninus.pdf/16

 ( xi )

Word, Antoninus recommends ſuch Virtue as is the spontaneous Fruit of Reaſon, and not the violent Effeet of Fear. He adores and soves bis God, and leaves it to the Vulgar to fear their Idols. 1 bave retained the Divihon of the Book into twelve Sections, and diſtinguiſhed the feveral Articles or Chapters of each Section by the numerical Figures, according as I thought the Matter required that Diſtinction. There are ſomefew Places of the Extent of a few Words, where the Author's. Meaning is either doribtful, or altogether inextricable, becauſe of ſome Corruption or Defeet in the Text, or becauſe of the Author's ſetting down only fucb Words, as might be a ſufficient Me morandum to bimſelf, but not ſuficient to

convey bis Thought to other people. In the firft Caſe I bave incloſed the moſt probable Senſe between Crotchets. The otber. Cafe is marked out by one or more Stars. Readers who are acquainted with the Ori ginal, will judge for themſelves of the Juſtneſs of the Tranſlation, and whitber many Things not underſtood by former Tranſlators are not placed in a true Light. Other Readers will be apt to judge favourably, if the Thougbts appear ſolid, and worthy ofſuch a magna nimous and learned Prince, as was the Au.

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