[Sidenote: Pindar. Pyth. +viii.+ vs. 40.]
εἰμὶ δ’ ἄσχολος ἀ-
ναθέμεν πᾶσαν μακραγορίαν
Λύρᾳ τε καὶ φθέγμα
τι μαλθακῷ, μὴ κόρος ἐλθὼν
Κνίσσῃ.
[Sidenote: Decline and Fall, Vol. +vii.+ c. 42.]
By my literary friends of the leash, who will alone probably condescend
to open the following little treatise, it will be expected, after
this too prolix defence of active field-amusements, and too selfish
gratification of personal regret, that I should particularly state the
reasons which have induced me to devote a few intervals of leisure to
the version and illustration of an ancient courser, dignified by Mr.
Gibbon with the title of “the eloquent and philosophic Arrian.”
[Sidenote: Marmion, Introduction to Canto +iv.+]
A task so often thrown aside
When leisure graver cares denied.
But an objection in limine must be first answered to a modern reader
giving up any of the “horæ vacivæ” of his library even to the perusal
of the cynegetical writers of antiquity, much less to their collation;
as treating forsooth of lowly animals, in their nature irrational and
ferine.