PRECEPTOR to the DAUPHIN, and BILHOP of MEAUX. A NEW EDITION, NEW YORK CIT WITH THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. The Universal History of M. BOSSUET is a Work that will transmit VOLTAIRE. 4377 RINTED for T. EVANS, near YORK-BUILDINGS in the STRAND; M DCC LXXVIII. 4377 1326 PREFA CE. UR author, having, in his Introduction, fo beautifully fet forth the extenfive usefulness of history in gene→ ral, and of a chronological abridgment in particular; and confequently explained the defign of the following, work; it were equally prefumptuous and unnecessary to fay any thing here on thofe fubjects. No lefs were it impertinent to offer any new intelligence to the learned world, about a performance which hath been fo long its admiration; or to recommend to it an author, whofe name paffes all encomium. It is well known, that, whereas all other univerfal biftorians give rather a collection of particular hiftories, M. BossUET alone hath the glory of producing a true general biftory; which, like a general map, according to his own excellent comparison, is only one, great, confiftent plan, collecting and arranging, with the jufteft fymmetry and fucceffion, from the beginning of time, every thing material 909 B3 |