And however this great Majesty resplendent in you on every Side, in regard of those high Dignities, may induce the World at large to reverence your Person, yet I for my part am aided only with the strength of Confidence to shew my Duty in a more familiar manner than others: and, therefore, this my Boldness you will impute unto your own Courtesy; and if it be a Fault in me, you will seek your Pardon from yourself. I have laid Bashfulness aside, but to no Purpose. For although your Gentleness and Humanity induce me to draw near to your Presence, yet you appear in other respects in great Majesty : for the Sublimity of your Mind, your high Attainments, set me as far behind as if the Lictors marched before you. Was there ever any Man, whose Words passed from him more powerfully, and who more truly might be said to flash forth as Lightning the Force of Eloquence ? What Tribune was ever known more effectually to move the People with agreeable Language ? How admirably you thundered out the Praise of the worthy Acts of your Father ! What a Testimony of Love to your Brother! How skilful in Poetry! How ingeniously you find means to imitate your Brother[1] in this respect [2]! But who is able boldly to give sufficient Estimate of these Gifts ? How may any One enter into the due Consideration of them without Fear of the exact Judgment of your Wit, especially being challenged therunto as you are ? For the case of such as publish a Work in general is unlike theirs who dedicate it by Name to yourself. For had I set forth this my Book without any personal Dedication, I might have said, Sir, why should a mighty Commander and General[3] busy himself to read such Matters ? These Treatises were written for the lower Classes, for rude Husbandmen and Peasants of the Country, for the Mass of Artisans, and those who had Leisure for studying them. Why should you make yourself
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BOOK I.]
Pliny's Epistle to T. Vespasian.
15
