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READER.

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Can neither call this Piece Tully's nor my own, being much altered from the Original, not only by the Change of the Style, but by Addition and Subtraction. I believe you will be better pleas'd to receive it, as I did, at the first fight; for to me Cicero did not fo much appear to write, as Cato to fpeak; and to do right to my Author, I believe no Character of any Person was ever better drawn to the Life than this. Therefore neither confider Cicero, nor me, but Cato himself, who being then rais'd from the Dead to speak the Language of that Age and Place, neither the diftance of Place or Time makes it lefs poffible to raife him now to speak ours.

Though I dare not compare my Copy with the Original, yet you will find it mention'd here, how much Fruits are improv'd by

Graffing; and here, by Graffing Verse upon Profe, fome of thefe feverer Arguments may receive a more mild and pleasant Tafte.

Cato fays (in another place) of himself, that he learn'd to speak Greek between the Seventieth and Eightieth Year of his Age; beginning that fo late, he may not yet be too Old to learn English, being now but between his Seventeenth and Eighteenth Hundred Year. For thefe Reafons I fhall leave to this Piece no other Name than what the Author gave it, of

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PREFACE.

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HAT Learned Critick, the younger Scaliger, comparing the two great Orators, fays, that nothing can be taken from Demofthenes, nor added to Tully; and if there be any Fault in the Jaft, it is the Refumption, or dwelling too long upon his Arguments: for which reafon having intended to tranflate this Piece into Profe, (where Tranflation ought to be strict) finding the Matter very proper for Verfe, I took the liberty to leave out what was only necessary to that Age, and Place, and to take, or add, what was proper to this prefent Age, and Occafion; by laying his Senfe-clofer, and in fewer Words, according to the Style and Ear of thefe Times. The three firft Parts I dedicate to my old Friends, to take off these melancholy Reflections, which the Senfe of Age, Infirmity, and Death may give them. The laft Part I think neceffary for the Conviction of thofe many, who believe not, or at leaft mind not the Immortality of the Soul, of which the Scripture speaks only pofitively, as a Law-giver, with an Ipfe dixit; but it may be, they neither believe that (from which they either make Doubts, or Sport,) nor those,

whofe Bufinefs it is to interpret it, fuppofing they do it only for their own Ends: But if a Heathen Philofopher bring fuch Arguments from Reason, Nature and Second Caufes, which none of our Atheistical Sophifters can confute, if they may Stand convinced, that there is an Immortality of the Soul, I hope they will fo weigh the Confequen ces, as neither to talk, nor live, as if there was no fuch Thing.

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