though he is aware, that it has been ascribed not only to Tacitus and Quintilian, but even to Suetonius.  The reasons, however, are so inconclusive, that he is inclined to give it to the younger Pliny.  He thinks it perfectly coincides with Pliny’s age; it is addressed to one of his particular friends, and is marked with similar expressions and sentiments.  But, with all due submission to Mr. Melmoth, his new candidate cannot long hold us in suspense.  It appears in the account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, in which Pliny’s uncle lost his life.  A.U.C. 832.  A.D. 79, that Pliny was then eighteen years old, and, as the Dialogue was in 828, he could then be no more than fourteen; a time of life, when he was neither fit to be admitted to a learned debate, nor capable of understanding it.  Besides this, two letters to his friend Fabius are still extant; one in the first book, epist. 11; the other, book vii. epist. 2.  No mention of the Dialogue occurs in either of those letters, nor in any other part of his works; a circumstance, which could scarce have happened to a writer so tenderly anxious about his literary character, if the work in question had been the production of his part.  Brotier, the last, and, it may be said, the best of all the editors of Tacitus, is of opinion that a tract, so beautiful and judicious, ought not, without better reasons than have been as yet assigned, to be adjudged from Tacitus to any other writer.  He relies much on the first edition, which was published at Venice (1468), containing the last six books of the Annals (the first six not being then found), the five books of the History, and the Dialogue, intitled, Cornelii Taciti Equitis Romani Dialogus de Oratoribus claris. There were also in the Vatican, manuscript copies of the Dialogue de Oratoribus.  In 1515, when the six first Annals were found in Germany, a new edition, under the patronage of Leo X. was published by Beroaldus, carefully collated with the manuscript, which was afterwards placed in the Florentine Library.  Those early authorities preponderate with Brotier against all modern conjecture; more especially, since the age of Tacitus agrees with the time of the Dialogue.  He was four years older than his friend Pliny, and, at eighteen, might properly be allowed by his friends to be of their party.  In two years afterwards (A.U. 830), he married Agricola’s daughter, and he expressly says, (Life of Agricola, sect. ix.) that he was then a very young man.  The arguments, drawn by the several commentators from the difference of style, Brotier thinks are of no weight.  The style of a young author will naturally differ from what he has settled by practice at an advanced period of life.  This has been observed in many eminent writers, and in none more than Lipsius himself.  His language, in the outset, was easy, flowing, and elegant; but, as he advanced in years, it became stiff, abrupt, and harsh.  Tacitus relates a conversation on a literary subject; and in such a piece, who can