The Second Volume of the History of Rome (Lardner's Cabinet
Cyclopedia, No. LXXIII.) opens with an able general disquisition on the symptoms of national dissolution and ruin, suggested by CATILINE'S conspiracy, and closes with the death of CONSTANTINE. With respect to its general literary characteristics, this volume exhibits the same merits and defects that we noted in the First ; although the author has improved in narration. His criticism remains much as it was—gross and palpable, without any nice perception of beauty, or distinct view of the essential qualities of his author; and his style is occasionally dis- figured by homely colloquialisms. Time book, however, is an indis- pensable one, from the complete coup d'ail which it presents of Roman History illustrated by modern lights ; it is a very readable one, from the closeness and rapidity of its march, albeit the circumstances which give
the peculiar interest to many events are of necessity omitted ; and it is a very extraordinary one, from the immense quantity of matter com- prised in so small a compass. The author will think it no compliment, but he is a modern lloitus as regards the power of compression.
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