History of Armenia, by Father Michael Chamich; from B. C. 2247 to ...

XX
I'REFACE.
task of translating the History of Armenia into Eng-lish:
a verv laborious task indeed, and exceedingly difficult
to a foreigner. But in my present literary enterprize
I have availed myself of the kind assistance of some
English i^entlemen.
These are Messrs. Charles Hutchins
and J. J. Hawkins, to whom I express thus publicly
my \^anllc^st and most sincere acknowledgements.
II.—The author of the History is the celebrated Father
Michael Chamich, a native of Constantinople, who about
the middle oC the eighteenth century proceeded to Venice
and j(»infd the iMukhitharian society of Sou Lazaro.
This society was founded in the year 1712 by Mukhithar
of the city
of Sebastia, an individual of high intellectual
and moral endowments. The members thereof are all
clerical persons, who have embraced the persuasion of
the church of Rome. Although it is a circumstance
much to be deplored, that they have abandoned the
cause of their national church, yet I cannot refrain from
a|)plauding the extraordinary progre^s they have made
in literature. The astonishing improvement they have
made in our language, the number of useful books which
tl.ey have published,— except their controversial works
on religion, which are calculated to do more harm than
good to the nation,—the excellent types brought into
use by them, extort from us admiration and ])raise.
I'ather Michael Chamich has particularly distinguished
himself among the members of this useful society, by
many valuable and meritorious publications; among
which that of the History of Armenia claims the yuecuimence.
In the year 178G he published an enlarged