The arrangement of this work is both chronological and geographical; the history of each country is given separately, but the states are arranged in the order of their attaining a commanding influence in the world. To this there are two exceptions-Egypt, which is placed first, on account of its being the earliest organized government of which we have any authentic record; and India, which is placed last, because it exercised no marked influence over the most remarkable nations of ancient times. The history of Greece in this volume has a less orderly appearance than in most similar works, because it contains not merely the histories of Athens and Sparta, to which most writers confine their attention, but also those of the minor states, the islands and the colonies. A chapter has been added on the colonial policy of the Greeks-a subject of great importance in itself, and peculiarly interesting to a commercial country. To the Roman history there is prefixed a brief account of the ancient inhabitants of Italy before the era usually assigned for the foundation of Rome. In the earlier period of the republic, notice is taken of the reasonable doubts that have been raised respecting the authenticity of the common narrative; but care has been taken to avoid an excess of skepticism, which is at least as bad as an excess of credulity. In the chapter on India, attention has been directed to the ancient routes of trade between that country and eastern Europe: many of these subsist to the present day; projects have been formed for reopening others; some account of them consequently appears necessary, for illustrating both ancient commerce and modern policy. In a general summary, restricted within narrow limits, it is scarcely possible to avoid dryness of details; notes have therefore been added, consisting for the most part of illustrations and anecdotes, that may serve both to relieve the mind, and to place important traits of character, national and individual, in a clearer light. It has been deemed advisable to take some notice of the mythology, as well as the real history, of nations; for though mythic traditions inay in many or in most instances have had no foundation, yet they should not be wholly neglected by the historian, for they had a share in forming, and they help to illustrate, the character of the nation by which they were once believed. At the same time, care has been taken to separate these traditions from the authenticated narrative, and to discriminate between those that have, and those that have not, some probable foundation in fact. Political reflections and moral inferences from the narrative have, in general, been avoided: the instructive lessons of history are, for the most part, found on the surface, and may best be collected by the students themselves. It is not quite fair to prejudge questions for the mind; the chief business of those who write for the young should be to make them think, not to think for them. The author has to acknowledge his great obligations to the works of Professor Heeren, whese volumes on the Politics, Intercourse, and Trade of Ancient Nations, should form part of every historical library; he has also borrowed very copiously from the valuable essays that have appeared in the Memoirs of the French Academy of Inscriptions; his particular obligations in the several chapters need not be specified, most of them being mentioned in the notes. The design of this introduction is merely to explain the plan of the work; some few suggestions, however, may be added on the mode of using it. Students should compare the geographical chapters with maps, and fix in their minds the most characteristic natural features of the country whose history they are about to commence. One division should be thoroughly mastered before another is begun; and when the whole is gone through, it will be found a most useful exercise tc synchronize the events in the history of one country with the events ir the history of another; for instance, to trace the condition of the Re man republic at the time of the battle of Arbéla. PAGE SECT. V. History of the United Kingdom of Israel........ VI. The Revolt of the Ten Tribes.-The Kingdom of Israel.. CHAPTER VI.-The Empire of the Medes and Persians. SECT. I. Geographical Outline...... II. Sources and Extent of our Knowledge respecting the Ancient III. Social and Political Condition of Ancient Persia.... IV. History of the Medes and Persians under the Kaianian Dynasty. CHAPTER VII.-Phænician Colonies in Northern Africa. II. Geographical Outline of the Peloponnesus.... III. The Grecian Islands in the Egean and Mediterranean Seas. V. The Social and Political Condition of Greece. VI. Traditional History of Greece from the earliest Ages to the Com- CHAPTER XII.-History of the States that arose from the Dismemberment SECT. I. History of Macedon and Greece from the Battle of Ipsus to the VI. History of Idumea, and its Capital Petra....... VII. History of the Jews from their Return out of the Babylonish Cap- II. From the Foundation of Rome to the Abolition of Royalty.. III. From the Establishment of the Roman Republic to the Burning of |