rich enough to purchase their votes.

The laws were not enforced to correct these abuses, as the magiftrates themselves beheld with approbation, or with indifference, the venality of the people. The administration of government under many of the emperors, influenced by the caprice of themselves or their favourites, was fometimes rigid, and fometimes relaxed: the tide of degeneracy flowed with the greatest rapidity, and fwept away all ranks in its

current.

To increase this train of destructive evils, the mode of Education was completely changed. In more antient times the noble matrons had taught their children the pure leffons of morality, and kept a strict watch over all their words and actions. The minds of the noble youth were led on to the ftudy of the liberal arts, and whatever profeffion they followed, whether of war or of pleading, they devoted themfelves to that fingle purfuit, and by clofe application embraced the whole compafs of their particular ftudy. But in the later times of which we are speaking, the children were entrusted to the care, or rather were abandoned to the arts of mean and ignorant domeftics. The perfons chiefly employed for this purpofe were indigent Greeks, who flocked in great numbers to Rome: their verfatile talents, infinuating manners, and grofs flattery, gained them admiffion into the families of the great, where they foon raifed themfelves to places of confidence and emolument. Corrupted by the examples, and encouraged by the indulgence

of

of fuch teachers, the young men foon affumed the character of licentioufnefs and effrontery. The fports of the field, and the diverfons of the Circus and the Theatre, became the fole topics of their converfation, and the darling objects of their purfuit; and no time was given to the cultivation of the liberal arts, or the study of the Roman or Grecian history *.

The

Nor were their opinions upon the most important fubjects less vitiated in early years by the progrefs of a specious and deftructive philofophy. principles of Epicurus had been for fome time fashionable in Rome; and his difciples boldly denied the providence of a fupreme Ruler of the univerfe, and openly maintained, that death was the extinction of all exiftence. The great Fabricius, aware of the pernicious tendency of fuch opinions, when he heard that Cinias, the philofopher, had made them the subject of converfation at the table of Pyrrhus, exclaimed, may the enemies of Rome ever entertain fuch principles ! They gave a fatal blow to the established religion, and were calculated to undermine the great fanctions of morality. The Roman youths were thus taught to defpife the ceremonies, and deride the maxims of their national belief, a firm adherence to which had been the glory of their ancestors, and had not only operated powerfully upon their mar

* Quintil. de Oratoribus, p. 451. Ed. Lips. Juvenal, Sat. 3.

tial efforts, but was clofely connected with the civil conftitution of the republic. This philofophy of Epicurus had the recommendation of great and attracting examples to make it popular; for it was adorned with the poetical graces of Lucretius, and honoured by the praife of Virgil; it was embraced by the fagacious Cæfar, and the accomplished Atticus.

The various caufes of her decline prepared Rome for her most abandoned emperors. The tame fervility of the fenate, and the turbulent spirit of the prætorian bands, fometimes raised to the imperial purple the meaneft and moft undeferving of the foldiers. Yet the corruption of principles was not fo general, as not to make a Tiberius, a Nero, and a Caligula furveyed with horror and deteftation by their cotemporaries, as well as by pofterity. They were alike infamous for a fenfuality, which was a difgrace to nature; and for a vindictive rage, which was the avowed foe to liberty and every virtue. 'We read of the cruel edicts of thefe emperors, their accufations of the innocent, their deceitful friendfhips, the rewards they beftowed upon informers, private affaffinations, and public executions; with no fmall aftonifhment, that human wickednefs could proceed fo far; and that human patience could fo long endure their enormities. From fuch fcenes we turn to relieve our minds, by contemplating the pure characters and glorious conduct of Titus, Nerva, Trajan, Antoninus

Pius, Marcus Antoniņus, and Probus'. Such illuftrious perfons afforded fome fupport to the deelining state, but were not capable of giving permanency to their own wife and prudent inftitutions; fince moft of their fucceffors were deficient in political talents, and abufed their power for the worft purposes. Their juftice and humanity fufpended that downfal of the empire, which they could not prevent; but the sparks of ancient virtue were fo nearly extinguifhed, that the efforts of a few individuals, eminent as they were in ftation, and armed with fovereign authority, could not fan them into a flame.

As the profperity of Rome had been attended with the flourishing state of the arts, literature and fcience, they gradually declined with her; and the fame change, which was vifible in the extinction of liberty and martial fpirit, appeared equally in its effects on the intellectual powers: ignorance was the companion of corruption and fervility.

The most remarkable event which took place during the decline of the empire, was the removal of the feat of government from Rome to the ancient city of Byzantium. Conftantine the Great, on the death of his father, was raifed to the imperial dignity in Britain", where he commanded foine of the braveft of the legions. He had the glory to

A. D. 80-160.

m A. D. 306.

be

be the first Emperor who profe Ted the Chriftian religion, and imparted to his numerous fubjects the various benefits which refulted from its public profeffion and establishment. After the defeat of Maxentius, when he found himself fecured in the poffeffion of his throne, he laid the foundation of Conftantinople. Its fituation is one of the most beautiful in the univerfe; fecure by nature against hoftile attacks, and convenient for every purpose of commerce. The Emperor removed his court, and induced many of the noble families to refide with him in this new capital". Whatever could contribute to its magnificence, or the comforts and enjoyments of its inhabitants, was foon procured, and in less than a century it rose to such splendour as to difpute the pre-eminence for riches and numbers, even with Rome itself.

The great object of Conftantine, in removing the feat of empire to the confines of Europe and Afia, was to establish a barrier against the barbarians. He judged the new metropolis a ftation well calculated to check the incroachments of those who inhabited the countries between the Tanais and the Danube, and to watch the motions of the king of Perfia. Subfequent events juftified the policy of the measure: Conftantinople stopped the paffage of the barbarians through the Bofphorus, and checked the advances of the Perfians under Chofroes. The City of Rome funk in importance, as its rival ad

a A. D. 328.