The great Discoveries made of late, and publish’d by a [A]Society of Gentlemen, united in the Search of _Antiquity_, will be lasting Monuments of their Fame in future Times, and will be look’d upon as Arguments of an ingenious Curiosity, in looking into the delectable Situations of Places, in preserving the beautiful Ruines of Antient Buildings, and in setting Chronology in a truer Light, by the Knowledge of Coins and Medals. But, Sir, what I principally intend in this Dedication, is to do Justice to Merit, and to acquaint the World, That you never look’d upon Licentiousness, and Infidelity, to be any Part of the Character of a fine Gentleman, That Virtue does not sit odly upon Men of a superior Station, and That in you we have an Example of one, who has Prudence enough to temper the innocent Freedoms of Life with the Strictnesses of Duty, and Conduct enough to be Merry, and not Licentious, to be Sociable, and not Austere; a Deportment this, which sets off your Character beyond the most elaborate Expressions of Art, and is not to be describ’d by the most curious Statue, or the most durable Marble. I am, Sir, with very great Regard, _Your most Oblig’d_, _And most Obedient Servant_, JOHN BALL. [Illustration: Page Decoration] [A] The Society of _Antiquaries_ in _London_. [Illustration: Page Header Decoration] THE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR. _It is customary upon a Translation to give some Account both of the Author, and his Writings. The Author_ Petrus Gyllius, _as he stands enroll’d among the Men of Eminency, and Figure in polite Learning, I find to be a Native of_ Albi, _in_ France. _He was in great Reputation in the sixteenth Century, and was look’d upon as a Writer of so good a Taste, and so comprehensive a_ Genius, _that there was scarce any thing in the polite Languages, which had escap’d him. As he had a particular Regard for Men of distinguished Learning, so was he equally honour’d, and esteem’d by them._ Francis _the First, King of_ France, _the great Patron of Literature, and who was also a good Judge of his Abilities, sent him into_ Italy, _and_ Greece, _to make a Collection of all the choice Manuscripts which had never been printed, but in his Passage it was his Misfortune to be taken by the_ Corsairs. _Some Time after, by the Application and Generosity of Cardinal_ d’Armanac, _he was redeem’d from Slavery. The just Sense this munificent Patron had of his Merit, incited him, when my Author had finish’d more than fourty Years Travels over all_ Greece, Asia, _and the greatest Part of_ Africa, _in the Search of Antiquity, to receive him into his Friendship, and Family; where, while he was digesting, and methodizing his Labours for the Service of the Publick, he dy’d in the Year 1555, and in the_ 65ᵗʰ _Year of his Age_.