PREFACE.
ix
ed  by  his  uninterrupted  intimacy  and  friendſhip.  Si  quid  est  in  me
ingenii,  quod  sentio  quam  sit  exiguum,  aut  si  bujusce  rei  ratio  aliqua,  ab  optimarum ¬
  artium  studiis  ac  disciplinâ  profecta,  a  quâ  ego  nullum  confiteor
atatis  mea  tempus  abborruisse,  earum  rerum  omnium  bic  Aulus  Licinius
fručtum  a  me  repetere  propè.  suo  jure  debet.  Nam  quoad  longissimè  potest
mens  mea  respicere  spatium  præteriti  temporis,  et  pueritiæe  memoriam  recordari -
  ultimam,  inde  usque  repetens,  bunc  video  mibi  principem,  et  ad
Juscipiendam,  et  ad  ingrediendam  rationem  horum  studiorum  'extitisse  *.
The  proposal,  then,  upon  the  part  of  Dr.  Black’s  Trustees  and  Executors, -
  for  charging  me  with  this  important  duty  to  his  memory,  was
not  without  some  very  reasonable  inducements.  But  every  circumstance -
  which  rendered  this  proposal  acceptable  to  me,  contributed  to
point  out  to  me  another  person,  more  fit  for  the  task,  and  more  likely
to  execute  it  as  it  ought  to  be  done.  This  was  Mr.  Watt  of  Birmingham ¬
  ;—attached  to  Dr.  Black  by  the  fame  ties,  having  had  superior ¬
  opportunities  of  knowing  the  whole  train  of  his  thoughts,  and  far
more  able  to  do  justice  to  his  merits,  because  profoundly  versed  in
chemical  science.  I  advised  this  choice,  and  Mr.  Watt  was  applied
to  ;  but  his  occupations  were  too  incessant,  and  too  serious,  to  allow
him  to  think  of  such  an  avocation.
I  had  no  reason  for  declining  the  taſk,  but  the  very  powerful  one
of  bad  health,  and  the  fear  of  its  growing  worse,  and  my  being  thereby ¬
  rendered  unable  to  fulfil  my  engagements.  It  was,  however,
strongly  pressed  upon  me  ;  so  that,  after  some  fear  and  hesitation,
I  agreed  to  the  proposal,  on  condition  of  having  Mr.  Watt's  as* -
  Cicero  pro  Archià  Poetâ.
VoL.  I.