Cities, like men, flourish and decay, and each possess their annals.
The poetic conception of personifying these broken records of natural
grandeur originated with the editor himself; but, in carrying out his
design, he acknowledges Rollin as his guide. This elegant and accurate
writer confesses that he does not hesitate to rifle the cabinets of
others to enrich his own; that he often transcribed without quoting,
and introduced solid reflections borrowed from the sterling works of
others. This compilation is also a beautiful bead-roll, the precious
production of many minds: it is a fair fabric of costly materials
raised by a literary architect, whose industry, experience, and
candour, are already acknowledged by the public.