The Translator has endeavored to express the meaning of the origi nal Latin, as literally and accurately as possible, in plain English but he has not, in all instances, done it to his own satisfaction. The style of the original is, in general, remarkably simple and perspicuous; yet there are some sentences, and some particular phrases, which seem oh some and difficult; and, although the Translator has endeavored to ren der them faithfully, he is not sure that he has always either apprehended or expressed the true meaning. He hopes, however, that the present translation will be found not only more literal and accurate than the former, but also more simple in its phraseology, and consequently more intelligible to common readers.