pentance for paft mifconduct were only to add one more vice to his former number.

That Auguftus wanted that greatnefs of mind, that fearlefs openness of heart, which were the peculiar characteristics of Julius Cæfar, may be admitted without being imputed as a crime. The complexion of the foul in its original formation, is no more within a man's own power than the complexion of his countenance. Both indeed may be improved by labour and cultivation; but in confequence of certain natural defects, cannot, with all the art of man, be heightened into abfolute perfection.

Allowing him, therefore, to have been inferior in these natural endowments, it was at worst only his misfortune. But had he been poffeffed of them in a ftill more exalted degree, the very temper of the times would have prevented him from exerting them in their full latitude. Surrounded as he was with a mifcellaneous multitude, it behoved him to ftudy their difpofitions, and to watch their motions, in order to guard against the machinations either of open enemies, or treacherous friends. The inftance of his illuftrious ancestor ftill bleeding before his eyes, who had himtelf fallen a victim to his too great contempt of fufpicion, admonished him to beware of the concealed dagger, to ftifle his refentment, and look with complacency, even upon his fufpected affaffin.

This conftant referve and circumfpection, therefore, was the natural confequence of that perilous eminence whereon he flood; . without implying the leaft malicious defign against the peace and liberties of his country. On the contrary, if actions fpeak the man, we shall be well justified in affirming, that tyrannically as he began his career, the virtues of the prince were a reasonable atonement for the vices of the triumvir. When once difengaged from his pernicious connections with his abandoned affociates*, and in quiet poffeffion of an imperial throne, his life was tainted with fewer grofs blemishes than generally fall to the lot of those whom Providence has been pleased to intruft with any portion of sovereign authority.

A courfe of near forty years indefatigably employed in the faithful adminiftration of juftice-in preferving an immenfe dominion in a general state of union and tranquillity-in cultivating the arts of peace--in improving the comforts and elegancies of domestic life; and in the exercise of every other benevolent and patriotic virtue, clearly difplays the real complexion of the heart, and loudly calls upon all mankind to give it full credit for fincerity.

If to accomplish these beneficial and noble purposes, if, the more effectually to govern a feditious people, long ufed to all the wildnefs of licentiousness, he found it neceffary on occafion to study

their inclinations, to temporize with their humours, to restrain or conceal his own love of abfolute power, and to alleviate the weight of the yoke, that they might all bear it with greater cheerfulness, thefe are no other than the laudable artifices of the most confummate wifdoin, fuch as the foundest policy need not blush to avow, nor the mildeft government to practife. To ftigmatize fuch behaviour with the odious names of hypocrify or cowardice, is not only a violation of the first principles of common charity, but it is (what the great fatirist knew to be too deeply rooted in the nature of man) a malicious joy in mifconftruing and inverting the moral qualities of human actions *.

But had the heart of this illuftrious prince been fo truly corrupt, we should never have feen the pen of his profeft encomiaft glowing with fuch rapturous praifes of political liberty; nor the moft firm

and ftubborn champion of it that Rome ever beheld, the avowed and irreconcileable enemy of the whole blood of the Cæfars, drawn under the most fublime and maieftic of all characters, the giver of laws to the bleffed fpirits in Elyfiumt. Much lets fhould we have heard the inhuman Mezentius fo warmly imprecating thofe calamities, which had undefervedly fallen upon his innocent and amible fon Laufus; and pathetically confeffing the juftice of those punifhments, which he then fuffered from the well-grounded refentment of his much injured people . This is too bold and dangerous a language for a poet to echo in the ears of a tyrant: had Auguftus, therefore, actually merited that opprobrious name, where now would have been the works of Virgil! He who refcued his memory from oblivion, and gave immortality to his mufe, contrary to the exprefs will of the too modest author,

"

Hor. Sat. 1. 3.55. &c.

En. 10. 851. &c.

"Circumftare odia."

Ib. v. 994.

mult

muft not only have admired his genius, but have applauded his principles.

The prince therefore who at once profeffes himself a friend to learning, and an enemy to liberty; who ftrives to enlighten the understanding of his fubjects, only to make them more fenfible of their own wretchedness, is a monster which human nature, pregnant as he is with contradictions, has very rarely exhibited to the eye of the world. It is the bleffed property of the liberal arts to mollify the rudeness of the manners, and to calm the natural ferocity of the pafhons. The rank and poisonous weeds of flavery will fhrink and wither away, when overshadowed by the luxuriant and fertile branches of found literature.

The court of Auguftus was the true feat of politenefs and humanity; and was adorned with the brightest conftellation of genuine wits that ever fhone at the fame inftant in any age or country, from the beginning of time. In this facred afylum, every science that could harmonize the mind or improve the heart, was fure of being embraced with the moft cordial affection. Infpired himself by a mature education, with the warmeft zeal for every kind of ingenuous and ufeful knowledge §,

he neither wanted judgment to difcern real abilities in others, nor generofity to reward them. To prefide in the affemblies of the poets, orators, hiftorians, and philofophers, to fubmit his own productions to their candid and friendly

criticisms, were among the most favourite amusements of his leifure hours; and while he liftened with attentive pleature to the rehearfals of their elegant compofitions, his fmiles gave life to genius, and wings to emulation †. Honours fo judiciously conferred redounded with double luftre upon his own character. A mind occupied in fuch rational and benevolent purfuits, could find no room for the lawless fuggeftions of ambition or power; but at perfect ease in itself, was able to ftrike even his enemies with awe and reverence, and, without one painful effort, to fecure to a wide and extenfive empire the fubftantial comforts of univerfal peace and domestic happiness.

Neither was it lefs to his glory to have had a Mecenas for his friend and counsellor, whose household was the confummate model of refined elegance; where modest merit never wanted a patron; where friendship dwelt without jealoufy, erudition without contention, wit without petulance, and where the most accomplished

Hor. Ep. 2. 1: 245.

scholars

often fuffered the rude attacks of abuse and obloquy: a common tribute, which the most virtuous and patriotic fovereigns, in all ages and countries, have ever paid to envy, difcontent, and faction. But, towards the beginning of the feventeenth century, a very black cloud was fuddenly fpread over it, in consequence of a manufcript, which the malicious induftry of a Popish bigot had brought out of fome obfcure corner of the Vatican, and introduced to the world with all the parade and confidence of authentic hiftory.

Though this extraordinary compofition had neither beginning nor ending, name nor date, to determine by whom or when it was written, it was boldly fathered upon Procopius*; a perfon whofe diftinguished learning and abilities had recommended him to the favour of the emperor Anaftafius and Juftin, by the latter of whom he was appointed affeffor, or counfellor, to the famous Belifarius. By the advantage of this fituation, wherein he continued for a long term of years, he was enabled to write a very exact and elegant hiftory of thofe times, which he pub. lifhed, much to the fatisfaction of Juftinian; and, without any

It is afferted indeed by fome later author, that, finding himself afterwards deceived in certain particulars, which he had reprefented too much in favour of that emperor, he intended to correct thefe miftakes; and it is probable that he did actually publish fomething to that effect. But it is very obfervable, that the author, who gives a catalogue of the works of Procopius, calls it by a name implying only a retractation † of fome former crrors, and of a much more confined fignification than the title given to the book in queftion; which contains a great variety of detached ftories, bearing little or no relation to what Procopius had faid in his former hiftory, and confequently could not be the thing he then profeffed to publish.

This circumftance entirely deftroys the proof of the identity of the author, upon which the editor fo much relies, and which he endeavours to establish upon the credit of Suidas; who mentions, that a book, under the name of Anec dotes, was wri.ten by Procopius, full of fevere reflections upon Juf

Niceph. Call

tinian