WHILST this Volume was in the prefs, the labors
and purfuits of the excellent Author were arrested by death.
He died June zoth, 1798, in the midst of usefulness and pub-
lic estimation. The friends to literature, to religion, and to
their country, will long deplore the loss of such a man. In
reference to his eftimable hiftorical writings, we may juftly
apply to him the eulogy addreffed to an eminent Italian, who
wrote a Hiftory of Verona, in the fixteenth century :

Que priùs exciderant, quæ vix monumenta manebant,

Reftituis patrice tot monumenta tuæ.

Per te gefta virum, per te patet urbis origo,

Ut patriæ dici jam mereare pater;
Marmora, longa dies, rabies et barbara perdet,
At non ulla tuum vis abolebit opus.

The whole of this Volume was prepared for the prefs by
the Author, excepting the Index, which, having been prom-
ised in the Proposals, has been furnished by another hand.

With a view to the execution of his original plan of com-
piling and publishing a complete American Biography, Dr.
Belknap had procured and partially arranged a valuable col-
lection of materials. Some of his collections were left in fuch
a ftate of preparation, that they might be readily fitted for
the prefs, if the public opinion fhould countenance the publi-
cation, and the tenderness of his friends to his literary reputa-
tion fhould fuffer them to prefent to the world, any unfinished
production bearing the fanction of his name.

Bofton, Aug. 20th, 1798.

PROPOSALS have been iffued for publishing by fubfcrip-
tion, Two Volumes of Dr. Belknap's Sermons. Thofe who
may be disposed to encourage the work, and may not have
feen the Propofals, may become Subfcribers, by applying to
any of the Bookfellers in Bofton.

BY ISAIAH THOMAS AND E. T. ANDREWS,
Sold by them, and the other Booksellers in Boston; by I. THOMAS,
Worcester; by THOMAS, ANDREWS & PENNIMAN, Albany; and by
THOMAS, ANDREWS BUTLER, Baltimore,

JULY, 1798.

ADVERTISEMENT.

VARIOUS caufes, uncontrollable by human power,

have concurred to retard the compilation and publication of this Second Volume. A Third is in fome degree of forwardness.

In Vol. I. page 56, it is said that Governor Wentworth of Nova-Scotia had employed a proper perfon, to search for any veftige or tradition, which might remain, of the ancient Colony of BIRON, in the ifland of Newfoundland. The places which were pointed out as most likely have been explored. The refult is, that "not a veftige or tradition remains of any Indians, but the Micmacs and EfquiVery few of the former are feen. Of the latter,

fome vifit the ifland occafionally, for a fhort time, and return to the continent. There is no appearance of grapevines, or of any thing that could be mistaken for them."

The inquiry, however hopeless, will be continued, as there may be opportunity; and the refult, if any, will be communicated.

BOSTON, JUNE 1, 1798,