[C: Mr. _du Tremblay_. Traité des Langues. ad fin.] The _Characters_ of _Theophrastus_ have been twice translated into _English_. The former Translation is _anonymous_, and the latter was done by the ingenious Mr. _Eustace Budgell_. It will be expected that I shou’d say something of these two Translations. And I shall be the more ready to do this, because I shall hereby insensibly lead the Reader to the Reasons which induc’d me to undertake a third. The anonymous _English_ Translation is said to have been done upon the _Greek_. But this is only a Pretence, and a low Artifice of the ignorant Translator: For in reality ’tis no more than a mean and insipid Translation of the _French_ of Mr. _de la Bruyere_, revis’d upon the _Latin_ of _Casaubon_, which answers almost verbally to the Original _Greek_. If this were a Matter of Importance, I wou’d here fully demonstrate it: For the Fact is so glaring, that tho’ the Translator is wholly unknown to me, yet I can aver what I have asserted to be Truth, almost as certainly, as if I had been an Eye Witness to the doing of it_. Mr. _Budgell_’s Translation must be own’d to be polite: But politeness is not the only Qualification that is required in such a Translation. The learn’d Reader, who understands the Original, will consider it in a different View. And to judg of it according to those Rules which Translators ought to observe, it must be condemned. In general, it is not exact and accurate enough; but what is far worse, Mr. _Budgell_ gives, in too many Instances, his own Thoughts instead of representing the true Sense of _Theophrastus_. This is perverting the _Humour_ of the Original, and, in Effect, making a new Work, instead of giving only a Translation. Mr. _Budgell_ ingenuously confesses, that he has taken a great deal of Liberty; but when a Translator confesses thus much, it does but give the Reader good Reason to suspect that instead of taking a great deal, he has in reality taken too much.