Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/21

XX task of translating the History of Armenia into English: a very laborious task indeed, and exceedingly difficult to a foreigner. But in my present literary enterprize I have availed myself of the kind assistance of some English gentlemen. These are Messrs. Charles Hutchins and J. J. Hawkins, to whom I express thus publicly my warmest and most sincere acknowledgements.

II.—The author of the History is the celebrated Father Michael Chamich, a native of Constantinople, who about the middle of the eighteenth century proceeded to Venice and joined the Mukhitharian society of San Lazaro. This society was founded in the year 1712 by Mukhithar of the city of Sebastia, an individual of high intellectual and moral endowments. The members thereof are all clerical persons, who have embraced the persuasion of the church of Rome. Although it is a circumstance much to be deplored, that they have abandoned the cause of their national church, yet I cannot refrain from applauding the extraordinary progress they have made in literature. The astonishing improvement they have made in our language, the number of useful books which they have published,—except their controversial works on religion, which are calculated to do more harm than good to the nation,—the excellent types brought into use by them, extort from us admiration and praise. Father Michael Chamich has particularly distinguished himself among the members of this useful society, by many valuable and meritorious publications; among which that of the History of Armenia claims the preeminence. In the year 1786 he published an enlarged