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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

tion will discover nothing so absolutely repugnant to the service and usesfor which they were severally intended, as to justify an opinion that they havebeen incorrectly transmitted to them *.

* No inconsiderable portion of controversy, of doubt, and obscurity, has been raised with regard tothe principles of Ancient Marine Architecture, by an attention to the translations of accounts, instead ofconsulting the originals themselves in the language in which they were first written. There is a descrip-tion of Ptolemy’s ship now extant, where mention is made, among many other wonderful circumstances,that it was furnished with fountains, gardens, a theatre, and four markets ! The attribution of ihe lastvery singular appurtenance to a ship, has been caused by the translator having mistaken the wordsquatuorforos , (meaning four decks, with which there is but little doubt the vessel was furnished) forthe plural number of forum, signifying a market. A variety of similar absurdities and mistakes mightno doubt be discovered on diligent enquiry, but one example, so striking as that adduced, may probablybe considered as sufficient.

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