Amcng  fliany  excellences  possuacd  by  Cirerp'a  ora-
toncal  diction,  lbs  greatest  ia  ita  aoiubleiieas  to  the
paies  of  Ihe  l^u  tongue ;  though  the  MhseResa
wnee  oceessar^y  resolting  has  exposed  it  both  in
hit  own  ^s,  and  atnca  his  time,  to  the  criticisms  of
ihoM,  who  have  affected  to  condemn  hs  Astatic  cbar-
Kter,  in  eooparison  with  the  siiDi^icity  of  Attic  wri-
■os.  ud  the  strength  of  Domoatbeoes.  Greelt.  bow-
•nr,  i>  ceiebnted  for  eopiouenese  in  its  vocsbulsry
■si  perspieaity  io  its  phrases,  and  the  eonaequent  la-
cAty  of  aiprsssiiig  the  most  novel  or  abstruse  ideas
•ilh  piecUoa  and  el^ance.  Hence  the  Auic  style
•f  c)s>|M0ce  was  plain  and  simple,  because  simplicity
tad  ^iDoeas  were  not  incompatible  with  clearness,
(sttjy,  and  harmony.  But  it  was  a  singular  want  of
lodgnnit,  in  ignorance  of  the  Tery  principles  of  com-
]«Kan,  which  induced  Bnitos,  GsItub.  Salluit,  and
•te^  ts  initaie  this  tens  and  severe  beiuty  in  thfrir
dcftetiva  IsBgitBge,  and  even  to  pronoiiDco  the
■pOMie  kind  of  diction  deficient  in  taste  and  pority.
u  Greek,  indeed,  the  words  fall,  as  it  were,  naturally
"Midwtinrt  and  batmcmioua  order;  and,  from  the
tidbnint  tichneaa  of  the  materials,  1^  is  left  to  the
"■fMsity  of  the  artist.  But  the  I^ltn  langoaes  is
*^(stativeir  .weak,  scanty,  and'  mmnaieal,  snd  ro*
^ORicoiKiJendile  aUn  and  manamimnit  to  render  h
*>fw*^  and  graeefol.    SimfHieitT  tn  Latin  is

sepaiaUe  from  baldneas ;  ana  justly  as  Ter-
^  M  celebMed  for  chaste  and  nnadonwd  diction,
?^**inh«,eoesparcd  with  Attic  writers,  is  flat  and

(Qanilil.,  10,  1.)  Again,  the  perfection  of
fH^iftis  dsanwos  onited  to  brevity,  but  to  this  com-

Lati*  Is  nturly  oneqoal.  Fnni  tbs  vsgus-
*■*  vd  oKsitaiBiy  or  iiiisnjin  vUeh  ebanelsriio


its  ss^sfale  wos-ds,  to  bo  psnpeooss  it  mm  hs  M.
