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thirteenth century； when this city was sacked by
the Crusaders； in the year 1205； the depredations
then committed are related in Mr。 Harris's posthumous
works； vol。 ii； p。 301； from Nicetas the
Choniate； who was present at the sacking of this
place。 His account of the statues； bustos； bronzes；
manuscripts； and other exquisite remains
of antiquity； which then perished； cannot be read
by any lover of arts and learning without emotion。
〃The ravages committed by the Turks who
plundered Constantinople； in the year 1453； are
related by Philelphus； who was a man of learning；
and was tutor to aeneas Sylvius （afterwards pope；
under the name of Pius the Second） and was an
eye…witness to what passed at that time。 This
tutor says； that the persons of quality； especially
the women； still preserved the Greek language
uncorrupted。 He observes； that though the city
had been taken before； it never suffered so much
as at that time； and adds； that； till that period；
the remembrance of ancient wisdom remained at
Constantinople； and that no one among the Latins
was deemed sufficiently learned； who had riot
studied for some time at that place； he expressed
his fear that all the works of the ancients would
be destroyed。
〃Still； however； there are the remains of three
libraries at Constantinople： the first is called that
of Constantine the Great； the second is for all
ranks of people without distinction； the third is in
the palace； and is called the Ottoman library； but
a fire consumed a great part of the palace； and
almost the whole library； when as is supposed；
Livy and a great many valuable works of the ancients
perished。 Father Possevius has given an
account of the libraries at Constantinople； and in
other parts of the Turkish dominions； in his excellent
work entitled； Apparatus Sacer。 （He calls
attention to no less than six thousand authors。）
Many other losses of the writings of the ancients
have been attributed to the zeal of the Christians；
who at different periods made great havock
amongst the Heathen authors。 Not a single copy
of the work of Celsus is now to be found； and
what we know of that work is from Origen； his
opponent。 The venerable fathers； who employed
themselves in erasing the best works of the most
eminent Greek or Latin authors； in order to transcribe
the lives of saints or legendary tales upon the
obliterated vellum； possible mistook these lamentable
depredations for works of piety。 The ancient
fragment of the 91st book of Livy； discovered by
Mr。 Bruns； in the Vatican； in 1772； was much defaced
by the pious labours of some well…intentioned
divine。 The Monks made war on books as the
Goths had done before them。 Great numbers of
manuscripts have also been destroyed in this kingdom
（Great Britain） by its invaders； the Pagan
Danes； and the Normans； by the civil commotions
raised by the barons； by the bloody contests between
the houses of York and Lancaster； and especially
by the general plunder and devastations of monasteries
and religious houses in the reign of Henry
the Eighth； by the ravages committed in the civil
war in the time of Charles the First； and by the
fire that happened in the Cottonian library； October
23； 1731。〃
Mr。 Astle's comments on the volumes or remnants
of volumes which remain to us； becomes most interesting
in the lights thrown on them by Professor
Anthon in his 〃Classical Dictionary；〃 1841； which are
quoted in part following those of Mr。 Astle。
Mr。 Astle remarks：
〃The history of Phoenicia by Sanconiatho； who
was a contemporary with Solomon； would have
been entirely lost to us； had it not been for the
valuable fragments preserved by Eusebius。〃
Says Prof。 Anthon：
〃Sanchoniathon； a Phoenician author； who if the
fragments of his works that have reached us be
genuine； and if such a person ever existed； must
be regarded as the most ancient writer of whom we
have any knowledge after Moses。 As to the period
when be flourished； all is uncertain。 He is the
author of three principal works； which were written
in Phoenician。 They were translated into the Greek
language by Herennius Philo； who lived in the
second century of our era。 It is from this translation
which we obtain all the fragments of Sanchoniathon
that have reached our times。 Philo had
divided his translation into nine books； of which
Porphyry made use in his diatribe against the Christians。
It is from the fourth book of this lost work
that Eusebius took； for an end directly opposite to
this； the passages which have come down to us。
And thus we have those documents relating to the
mythology and history of the Phoenicians from the
fourth hand。〃
Mr。 Astle continues：
〃Manetho's History of Egypt； and the History
of Chaldea； by Berosus； have nearly met with the
same fate。〃
From Anthon：
〃Berosus； a Babylonian historian。 He was a
priest of the temple of Belus in the time of Alexander。
The ancients mention three books of his
of which Josephus and Eusebius have preserved
fragments。 Annius of Viterbo published a work
under the name of Berosus； which was soon discovered
to be a forgery。〃
By Astle：
〃The Historical Library of Diodorus Siculus consisted
likewise of forty books； but only fifteen are
now extant； that is； five between the fifth and the
eleventh； and the last ten； with some fragments
collected out of Photius and others。〃
By Anthon：
〃Diodorus； surnamed Siculus； a contemporary
of Julius Caesar and Agustus。 He published a
general history in forty books； under the title
'Historical Library；' which covered a period of
1138 years。 We have only a small part remaining
of this vast compilation。 These rescued portions
we owe to Eusebius； to John Malala and other
writers of the lower empire； who have cited them
in the course of their works。 He is the reputed
author of the famous sophism against motion。 'If
any body be moved； it is moved in the place where
it is； or in a place where it is not； for nothing can
act or suffer where it is not； and therefore there is
no such thing as motion。' 〃
By Astle：
〃The General History of Polybius originally
contained forty books； but the first five only； with
some extracts or fragments； are transmitted to us。〃
By Anthon：
〃Polybius； an eminent Greek historian； born
about； B。 C。 203。 Polybius gave to the world various
historical writings； which are entirely lost with
the exception of his General History。 It embraced
a period of 53 years。 Of the forty books which it
originally comprehended； time has spared only the
first five entire。 Of the rest； as far as the seventeenth；
we have merely fragments though of considerable
size。 Of the remaining books we have
nothing left except what is found in two merger
abridgments which the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus；
in the tenth century caused to be
made of the whole work。〃
Fr