imagining that they were now certain of peace. Instead of which, they received peremptory orders to evacuate the city, with their wives and children; and to make no fettlement within eighty furlongs of the fea. In perufing Appian's history of that memorable event, compaffion for the diftreffed Carthaginians is ftified by indignation at their treacherous oppreffors. Could the monsters after fuch treachery have the impudence to talk of Punica fides? The profligacy of the Roman people, during the triumvirate of Cæfar, Pompey, and Craffus, is painted in lively colours by the fame author. "For a long

time, diforder and confufion overspread "the commonwealth: no office was obtained but by faction, bribery, or cri"minal fervice: no man was afhamed to

buy votes, which were fold in open "market. One man there was, who, to ❝ obtain a lucrative office, expended eight "hundred talents (a) ill men enriched "themfelves with public money, or with "bribes: no honeft man would stand can"didate for an office; and into a fituation 66 fo miferable was the commonwealth (a) About L. 150,000 Sterling.

reduced,

tt

reduced, that once for eight months it "had not a single magiftrate." Cicero, writing to Atticus that Clodius was acquitted by the influence of Craffus, expreffes himself in the following words. 'Biduo, per unum fervum, et eum ex gladiato"rio ludo, confecit totum negotium. Ac"cerfivit ad fe, promifit, interceffit, de"dit. Jam vero, O dii boni, rem perditam! etiam noctes certarum mulierum,

tr

'

atque adolefcentulorum nobilium, in"troductiones nonnullis judicibus pro "mercedis cumulo fuerunt* (a)." Ptolomy King of Egypt was dethroned by his fubjects for tyranny. Having repaired to Rome for protection, he found means to poifon the greater part of a hundred Egyptians, his accufers, and to affaffinate Dion, their chief. And yet thefe crimes,

"In two days he completed the affair, by the "means of one flave, a gladiator. He fent for him, "and by promises, wheedling, and large gifts, he "gain'd his point. Good God, to what an infacorruption at length arrived! "Some judges were rewarded with a night's lodg❝ing of certain ladies; and others, for an illuftri

mous height has

ous bribe, had fome young boys of Noble family "introduced to them."

(a) Lib. 1. epift. 13.

2

perpetrated

perpetrated in the heart of Rome, were fuffered to pafs with impunity. But he had fecured the leading men by money, and was protected by Pompey. The following inftance is, if poffible, ftill more grofs. Ptolomy, King of Cyprus, had always been a faithful ally to the Romans. But his gold, jewels, and precious moveables, were a tempting bait: and all was confifcated by a decree of the people, without even a pretext. Money procured by profligacy is not commonly hoarded up; and the Romans were no lefs voluptuous than avaricious. Alexander ab Alexandro mentions the Fanian, Orchian, Didian, Oppian, Cornelian, Ancian, and Julian laws, for repreffing luxury of dress and of eating, all of which proved ineffectual. He adds, that Tiberius had it long at heart to contrive fome effectual law against luxury, which now had furpaffed all bounds; but that he found it impracticable to ftem the tide. He concludes, that by tacit agreement among a corrupted people, all fumptuary laws were in effect abrogated; and that the Roman people, abandoning themfelves to vice, broke through every restraint of morality and reVOL, I. 3 F ligion

ligion (a). Tremble, O Britain, on the brink of a precipice! how little distant in rapacity from Roman fenators are the leaders of thy people * !

Riches produce another lamentable effect: they enervate the poffeffor, and degrade him into a coward. He who commands the labour of others, who eats without hunger, and refts without fatigue,

* Down on your knees my countrymen, down on your knees, and render God thanks from the bottom of your hearts for a minister very different from his immediate predeceffors. Untainted with luxury or avarice, his talents are dedicated to his King and his country. Nor was there ever a period in Britain when prudence and difcernment in a minifter were more neceffary than in the prefent year 1775. Our colonies, pampered with profperity, aim at no lefs than independence, and have broken out into every extravagance. The cafe is extremely delicate, it appearing equally dangerous to pardon or to punish. Hitherto the most falutary meafures have been profecuted; and we have great reafon to hope a happy iffue, equally fatisfactory to both parties. But tremble still, O Britain, on the brink of a precipice! Our hold of that eminent minifter is fadly precarious; and in a nation as deeply funk in selfishness as formerly it was exalted by patriotifm, how fmall is our chance of a fucceffor equal to him !

(a) Lib. 3. cap. 11.

becomes

becomes feeble in mind as well as in body; has no confidence in his own abilities, and is reduced to flatter his enemies, because he hath not courage to brave them.

Selfishness among the rude and illiterate is rough, blunt, and undisguised. Selfishnefs, which in an opulent kingdom ufurps the place of patriotism, is smooth, refined, and covered with a veil. Pecuniary intereft, a low object, must be covered with the thickest veil: ambition, less dishonourable, is lefs covered: but delicacy as to character and love of fame, are so honourable, that even the thinneft veil is held unneceffary. Hiftory juftifies thefe obfervations. During the profperity of Greece and Rome, when patriotifm was the ruling paffion, no man ever thought of employing a hoftile weapon but against the enemies of his country: fwords were not worn during peace, nor was there an instance of a private duel. The frequency of duels in modern times is no flight fymptom of degeneracy: regardless of our country, felfishness is exerted without difguife when reputation or character is in question; and a nice fenfe of honour prompts revenge for every imagined af3 F 2 front,