TO THE EARL OF LEICESTER PRESIDENT OF THE ANTIQUARY SOCIETY OF LONDON. Naples January I. 1797. MYLORD I F your Lordship will confider the unquiet flate of Italy for feveral years palled, and upon my fituation at this Court, you will eafily conceive, that other occupa tions muft have taken up the time, which wou’d have been neceffary for the publication of a work requiring much leifure and tranquility, and I mufi confefs , that without the conftan t affiftance of my very worthy and learned friend the Chevalier Italinski, it woud’d not now have been in my power to offer this third volume to the Public. The explanations, which the Chevalier has been fo kind as tho prepare for the forth volume, are fo lar ad vanced , that the appearance of them can not be long re tarded •, they will be the laft , as it is not my intention to profecute the work any further. The fcarce and va luable Collection of Vafes, of which J am in poffeffion, wou’d be fufficient to furnish matter for a work of a much greater extent, but J am perfuaded, that when the fourth volume shall have been added to the proceeding ones, the Public will have before it a fufficient number of drawings from my vafes to be convinced, of the great fervice they may render to the arts, and of the great light which they may throw upon many curious and interefting paffages in the Hiftory of ancient Greece. The