CICERO, (MARCUS TULLIUS) one of the greatest men of antiquity, whether we consider him as an orator, a statesman, or a philosopher, was born about 107 years before Christ. In his very active life, the most striking incident is his detection of the conspiracy of Cataline and his accomplices, for the subversion of the common wealth. For his conduct in this affair, he was honoured with the glorious title of "Father of his Country."

As it would be too tedious to recapitulate the particular transactions of Cicero, which, to such of our readers, as are acquainted with Roman history must be already well known; and to others, perhaps, would not be deemed very interesting, we shall content ourselves with a few circumstances respecting his death' and character.

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After the settlement of the Roman Triumvirate composed of Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, these three spent some time, in a close conference to adjust the plan of their accommodation; and the last thing they adjusted, was the list of a prescription, which they determined to make of their enemies. occasioned much difficulty and warm contests among them, till each, in his turn, resolved to sacrifice some of his best friends to the resentment of his colleagues. The whole list is said to have consisted of three hundred senators, and two thousand knights, all doomed to die for a crime the most unpardonable to tyrants, their adherence to liberty. Cicero's death was, in a particular manner, necessary to the common interest of the three; since his authority was too great to be suffered in an enemy; and experience had shewn, that nothing could make him a friend to the oppressors of his country.

Cicero was at his Tusculan villa, when he first received the news of the proscription, and of his being

included in it.

It was the design of the triumvirate to keep their intentions a secret, if possible, till the moment of ex

ecution, in order that they might surprize those, whom they had destined to destruction, before they had time to escape. But some of Cicero's friends found means to apprize him of his danger; upon which, he set forward to the sea-side, with a design to transport himself out of the reach of his enemies. There finding a vessel ready, he presently embarked; but the wind being adverse, and the sea uneasy to him, he was obliged to land and spend the night on shore. From thence he was forced on board again, by the importunity of his servants; but was soon afterwards obliged to land at one of his country seats, where weary of life, he declared his resolution to die in that country, which he had so often saved. Here he slept soundly for some time, till his servants once more forced him away in a litter towards the ship, having heard, that he was pursued by Antony's assassins. They had scarcely departed from the house, when the assassins arrived, and finding that he had fled, went immediately in quest of him towards the shore, where they overtook him in a wood. Their leader was one Popilius Lenas, a tribune of the army, whose life Cicero had formerly defended and saved. As soon as the soldiers appeared, the servants prepared to defend their master's life at the hazard of their own; but Cicero commanded them to set him down and make no resistance. Then looking upon his executioners with great firmness, and thrusting his neck as far forward as he could, out of the litter, he told them to do their work; upon which, they cut off his head and both his hands, and returned with them to Rome, as the most agreeable present to Antony their cruel employer, who rewarding the murderer with a large sum of money, ordered the head to be fixed upon the rostra, between the two hands; a sad spectacle to the city, and what drew tears from every eye, to see these mangled members, which used to exert themselves so gloriously from that place, in defence of the lives, the fortunes, and the liberties of the Roman peo

ple, so lamentably exposed to the scorn of sycophants and traitors. The deaths of the rest, says an historian of that age, caused only a private and particular sorrow; but Cicero's an universal one. It was a triumph over the republic itself; and seemed to confirm and establish the perpetual slavery of Rome.

Cicero's death happened on the 7th December, in the 64th year of his age; and with him expired the short empire of eloquence amongst the Romans. As an orator, he is thus characterized by Dr. Blair. "In all his orations, his art is conspicuous. He begins commonly with a regular exordium; and with much address, prepossesses the hearers and studies to gain the affections. His method is clear, and his arguments are arranged with exact propriety. In a superior clearness of method, he has an advantage over Demosthenes. Every thing appears in its proper place. He never tries to move, till he has attempted to convince; and, in moving, particularly, the softer passions, he is highly successful. No one ever knew the force of words, better than Cicero. He rolls them along with the greatest beauty and magnificence; and in the structure of his sentences, is eminently curious and exact. He is always full and flowing, never abrupt. He amplifies every thing; yet though his manner is generally diffuse, it is often happily varied and accommodated to the subject. When an important public object roused his mind, and demanded indignation and force, he departs considerably from that loose and declamatory manner, to which he, at other times is addicted, and becomes very forcible and vehement. This great orator, however, is not without his defects. In most of his orations, there is too much art, even carried to a degree of ostentation. He seems often desirous of obtaining admiration, rather than of operating conviction. He is sometimes, therefore, showy rather than solid, and diffuse, where he ought to have been urgent. His sentences are always round and sonorous. They cannot be accused Vol. II, No. 9, C

of monotony, since they possess variety of cadence; but from too great a fondness for magnificence, he is on some occasions deficient in strength. Though the services, which he had performed to his country were very considerable, yet he is too much his own panegyrist. Ancient manners, which imposed fewer restraints on the side of decorum, may in some degree, excuse, but cannot entirely justify his vanity."

CINCINNATUS, a celebrated Roman, was taken from the plough to be advanced to the dignity of consul, in which office he restored public tranquility, and then returned to his rural employments. Being, upon another emergency, called forth a second time, he was appointed dictator, in which office, he subdued the enemies of his country; and refusing all rewards, retired again to his farm, after having exercised the dictatorship only sixteen days. The same circumstance happened to him once more, in the 80th year of his age. He died 376 years before Christ.

In allusion to the disinterested patriotism of this exalted character, a society called the Order of Cincinnatus or The Cincinnati, was established in America soon after the peace, consisting of the officers of the army and navy of the United States. The ostensible design of this institution, was to perpetuate the memory of the revolution, the friendship of the officers, and the union of the states; and also to raise a fund for the relief of poor widows and orphans, whose husbands and fathers had fallen during the war. The members were to be distinguished by wearing a medal, emblematical of the design of the society; and the honours and advantages were to be hereditary in the eldest male heirs, and in default of male issue, in the collateral male heirs. Although, when we consider the respectability of the characters, who were at the head of this institution, we can scarcely doubt the purity of their intentions, yet it soon became the

object of popular jealousy. Views of a deeper nature were imputed to the framers: and the institution was censured and opposed, as giving birth to a military nobility of a dangerous aristocratic nature, which might ultimately prove ruinous to the liberties of the new empire. But that article of their constitution, which was the principal ground of apprehension, viz. the right of making the honours hereditary having since been altered, the society is no longer viewed as an object of jealousy.

CLARKE (DR. SAMUEL) an eminent English divine and philosopher, was born in Norwich, 11th October, 1675. He was instructed in grammatical learning, at the free-school of that town, and in 1691, was removed to Caius college, Cambridge, where his uncommon abilities soon began to display themselves: for, when he was only about twenty-one years of age, he contributed not a little towards the establishment of the Newtonian philosophy, by an excellent translation of Rohault's Physics, which were then generally taught in the university; to which he added a number of valuable notes, calculated to lead the students insensibly from the chimerical notions of that author, to others more consentaneous to truth.

Having afterwards turned his thoughts to divinity, and taken holy orders, Mr. Clarke was appointed chaplain to Dr. Moore, bishop of Norwich. This prelate, one of the greatest patrons of learning and learned men, received our author into his family, and friendship to such a remarkable degree, that he lived for nearly twelve years in that station, with all the decent freedoms of a brother and an equal, rather than an inferior. The bishop's esteem for him encreased every day; and at his death, he gave him the highest proof of confidence, by leaving all the concerns of his family entirely in his hands.