PLINY may be considered in these Letters as writing his own memoirs; every epistle is a kind of historical sketch, wherein we have a view of him in some striking attitude, either of active or contemplative life. And if that were his real design in their publication, he could not, it should seem, have taken a more agreeable, or, perhaps, a more modest method of transmitting himself to posterity. To enter, therefore, into a detail concerning him, would be only anticipating the author himself, and amusing the reader with a copy, while the original stands before him. Nothing seems requisite to be farther added to the piece, than just to mark the date. PLINY was born in the reign of NERO,

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about the eight hundred and fifteenth year of Rome, and the sixty-second of the Christian era. As to the time of his death, antiquity has given us no information; but it is conjectured, he died either a little before, or soon after, the decease of that excellent prince, the admirable TRAJAN; that is, about the year of Christ one hundred and sixteen.

The elegance of this author's manner adds force to the most interesting, at the same time that it enlivens the most common subjects. But the polite and spirited turn of these letters is by no means their principal recommendation; they receive a much higher value, as they exhibit one of the most amiable and exemplary characters in all antiquity. PLINY's whole life seems to have been employed in the exercise of every generous and social virtue. To forward modest merit, to encourage ingenious talents, to vindicate oppressed innocence, are some of the glorious purposes to which he devoted his power, his fortune, and his

abilities. But how does he rise in our esteem and admiration, when we see him exerting (with a grace that discovers his humanity as well as his politeness) the noblest acts both of public and private munificence, not so much from the abun. dance of his wealth, as the wisdom of his economy ?

What a celebrated ancient has observed concerning the style of the famous Grecian painter TIMANTHES, is applicable to that of PLINY: "Intelligitur plus semper quam pingitur;" his meaning is generally much fuller than his expression. This, as it heightens the difficulty of his interpreter's task, so it necessarily gives great scope to an objector. But in drawing after these excellent masters of antiquity, the most successful are only, perhaps, the most excusable; as those who have the truest taste of their works, will least expect to see the strength and spirit of them fully preserved in a copy. This, however, is not mentioned as claiming indulgence to any errors