8

PREFACE

I NOW difcharge my promife, and
complete my defign, of writing
the Hiftory of the Decline and Fall of
the Roman Empire, both in the Weft
and the Eaft. The whole period extends
from the age of Trajan and the Anto-
nines, to the taking of Conftantinople
by Mahomet the fecond; and includes
a review of the Crufades and the ftate
of Rome during the middle ages. Since
the publication of the firft volume,
twelve years have elapfed; twelve years,
according to my wish, "of health, of
"leifure, and of perfeverance." I
may now congratulate my deliverance
from a long and laborious fervice, and
my fatisfaction will be pure and perfect,
if the public favour should be extended
to the conclufion of my work.

It was my firft intention to have
collected under one view, the numerous
authors, of every age and language,
a