. and the United States of America._

THE

HERALD

OF

LITERATURE, &C.

* * * * *

ARTICLE I.

THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. BY EDWARD
GIBBON, ESQ. VOLS. IV, V, VI, VII. 4TO.

We are happy to have it in our power thus early to congratulate the
public upon the final accomplishment of a work, that must constitute one
of the greatest ornaments of the present age. We have now before us, in
one view, and described by the uniform pencil of one historian, the
stupendous and instructive object of the gradual decline of the greatest
empire; circumscribed by degrees within the narrow walls of a single
city; and at length, after the various revolutions of thirteen
centuries, totally swallowed up in the empire of the Turks. Of this
term, the events of more than nine hundred years are described in that
part of our author that now lies before us. It cannot therefore be
expected, that in the narrow limits we have prescribed to ourselves, we
should enter into a regular synopsis of the performance, chapter by
chapter, after the laudable example of our more laborious brother
reviewers. We will pay our readers the compliment, however unauthorised
by the venerable seal of custom, of supposing them already informed,
that Anastasius succeeded Zeno, and Justin Anastasius; that Justinian
published the celebrated code that is called by his name; and that his
generals, Belisarius and Narses, were almost constantly victorious over
the Barbarians, and restored, for a moment, the expiring lustre of the
empire. We shall confine ourselves to two extracts, relating to subjects
of the greatest importance, and which we presume calculated, at once to
gratify and excite the curiosity of the public.

The reign of the emperor Heraclius is perhaps more crowded with events
of the highest consequence, than that of any other prince in the series.
It has therefore a proportionable scope allotted it in the plan of Mr.
Gibbon; who seems to understand better than almost any historian, what
periods to sketch with a light and active pen, and upon what to dwell
with minuteness, and dilate his various powers. While we pursue the
various adventures of Cosroes II., beginning his reign in a flight from
his capital city; suing for the protection and support of the Greek
emperor; soon after declaring war against the empire; successively
conquering Mesopotamia, Armenia, Syria, Pa