Expaved by Ju" Hall from an Original Picture Painted by stir Jashan Ke youlds London Publish'd as the tot den Feb 71780.ly W-Strahan &T.Cadell. PREFACE. T is not my intention to detain the reader IT by expatiating on the variety, or the importance of the fubject, which I have undertaken to treat; fince the merit of the choice would ferve to render the weakness of the execution still more apparent, and ftill lefs excufable. But as I have prefumed to lay before the Public a first volume only' of the Hiftory of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, it will perhaps be expected that I should explain, in a few words, the nature and limits of my general plan. The memorable feries of revolutions, which, in the course of about thirteen centuries, gra→ dually undermined, and at length destroyed, the folid fabric of human greatness, may, with fome propriety, be divided into the three following periods: The first volume of the quarto, which is now contained in the two firft volumes of the octavo, edition. I. The A 2 I. The first of thefe periods may be traced from the age of Trajan and the Antonines, when the Roman monarchy, having attained its full ftrength and maturity, began to verge towards its decline; and will extend to the fubverfion of the Western Empire, by the barbarians of Germany and Scythia, the rude ancestors of the most polished nations of modern Europe. This extraordinary revolution, which fubjected Rome to the power of a Gothic conqueror, was completed about the beginning of the sixth century. II. The fecond period of the Decline and Fall of Rome, may be supposed to commence with the reign of Juftinian, who by his laws, as well as by his victories, reftored a tranfient fplendour to the Eaftern Empire. It will comprehend the invafion of Italy by the Lombards; the conqueft of the Afiatic and African provinces by the Arabs, who embraced the religion of Mahomet; the revolt of the Roman people against the feeble princes of Conftantinople; and the elevation of Charlemagne, who, in the year eight hundred, eftablished the fecond, or German Empire of the Weft. III. The last and longeft of these periods includes about fix centuries and a half; from the |