Section 36
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XXX PREFACE. he never adopted, as a production, which like those of the fathers of history, should contend for the prize as a literary performance. The only part of the work that could perhaps aspire to this honour, is contained in the last book, where he is altogether the panegyrist, and where he has left us, perhaps, what may be re garded as one of his most elaborate, if not one of his happiest performances as an orator. Whether the present translator has succeeded in presenting his author to the public in a costume that shall appear worthy of the original, must be left to the judgment of others. He is not so con fident, as to presume his labour is here immaculate, and a more frequent revision of the work may suggest improvements which have thus far escaped him. Some allowances are also due to a work like this, which may not obtain in those of a different de scription. The translator does not stand upon the same ground as one who renders a work of elegance and taste, from profane antiquity. The latter leaves more scope for the display of genius and taste. The great object of the former is to give a faithful transcript of his author's statement, that the reader may derive, if possible, the same impression that he would from the original, in case it were his vernacular language. He is not at liberty to improve his author, whatever may be the occasional sugges tions of elegance or taste, for there is scarcely any such improve ment but what involves the fidelity of the version. The more experienced reader and critic may, perhaps, discover instances where the translator might perhaps have been more easy, with out sacrificing much of the meaning ; and the present version is not without passages where perhaps a little liberty might have obviated an apparent stiffness in the style. But the translator has some times preferred the latter, to what appeared a sacrifice of the sense.* The office of a translator, like that of a lexicographer, is an ungrateful office. Men who have no conception of the requi sites for such a task, who measure it by the same rough standard * Among some of the apparent anomalies of the translation, may perhaps be num bered many of the passages from Scripture. It will be recollected these are trans lated from our author, who quotes the Alexandrian version.