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 stifled 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, disorder and confufion overspread "the commonwealth: no office was ob"tained but by faction, bribery, or cri"minal fervice: no man was afhamed to 66 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 "themselves with public money, or with "bribes: no honeft man would ftand can"didate for an office; and, into a fitua (a) About L. 150,000 Sterling. VOL. I. "tion ❝tion fo miferable was the commonwealth "reduced, that once for eight months it "had not a fingle 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 perdi"tam! etiam noctes certarum mulierum, "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 * "In two days he completed the affair, by the "means of one Dave, a gladiator. He fent for him, "and by promises, wheedling, and large gifts, he gained his point. Good God, to what an infamous "height has corruption at length arrived! Some judges were rewarded with a night's lodging of "certain ladies; and others, for an illuftrious bribe, "had fome young boys of Noble family introduced to "them." (a) Lib. 1. epift. 13. Egyptians, Egyptians, his accufers, and to affaffinate Dion, their chief. And yet these crimes, 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 drefs 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 stem the tide. He concludes, that by tacit agreement among a corrupted people, all fumptuary laws were in effect abrogated; and and that the Roman people, abandoning themselves to vice, broke through every reftraint of morality and religion (a.) Tremble, O Britain, on the brink of a precipice! how little diftant in rapacity from Roman fenators are the leaders of thy people * ! The free ftates of Italy, which had become rich by commerce, employed mer (a) Lib. 3. cap. 11. * 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 discernment in a minister were more neceffary than in the prefent year 1775. Our colonies, pampered with profperity, aim at no less 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 measures have been profecuted; and we have great reafon to hope a happy iffue, equally faisfactory to both parties. But tremble ftill, 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 felfishness as formerly it was exalted by patriotism, how fmall is our chance of a fucceffor equal to him! cenary cenary troops to fave their own people, who were more profitably employed at home. But, as mercenaries gained nothing by victory or bloodshed, they did very little execution against one another. They exhausted the states which employed them, without doing any real service. Our condition is in fome degree fimilar. We employ generals and admirals, who, by great appointments, foon lose relish for glory, intent only to prolong a war for their own benefit. According to our prefent manners, where luxury and selfishness prevail, it appears an egregious blunder, to enrich a general or admiral during his command: have we any reason to expect, that he will fight like one whofe fortune depends on his good behaviour? This fingle error against good policy has reduced Britain more than once to a low condition, and will prove its ruin at last. 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, becomes feeble in mind as well as in body, has |