TO THE READER.

The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, which isnow for the first time presented entire to theconsideration of the English Reader, was com-piled by Philostratus about the year of Christ210, at the desire of Julia Domna, wife to theEmperor Severus . Flaccus Philostratus, thewriter of it, was the son of Verus, and had thetitle of Sophist conferred on him for his superioreloquence. According to some writers he wasborn in the isle of Lemnos , but according toothers, in Athens, where he taught rhetoric,and composed many speeches and ingenioustracts. From Athens he passed to Rome , wherehe was soon received into the society of the lite-rary men, who then frequented and adorned thecourt of the Empress Julia.—From her, hesays, he obtained whatever documents had beencommunicated to her by the friends of Apollo-nius, relative to his life and opinions, and which,at her particular request, he not only revised, butembellished in the manner they are at present tobe found.