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term has no meaning. Dead matter is nothing. The parts, therefore, especially the limbs and senses, of animals, although they constitute, in mass and quantity, a small portion of the material creation, yet, since they alone are instruments of perception, they compose what may be called the whole of visible nature, estimated with a view to the disposition of its author. Consequently, it is in these that we are to seek His character. It is by these that we are to prove that the world was made with a benevolent design.

W. PALEY

There are said to

513. A LAW AMONG THE PERSIANS. have been formerly many laws among the Persians, from which it may be easily perceived that the wisdom of that nation was very remarkable. And having lately met with one of these, which, unless I am mistaken, is not known to many, and is deserving of being known by all, I thought it would not be unacceptable to those who read this work if I brought it forward here. It was, then, an established rule among them, that if any one was accused, before a tribunal, of having done something contrary to the laws, even though it were clearly ascertained that he was culpable, he was not immediately condemned, but an inquiry was first made very carefully into his whole life, and a calculation entered into whether he had done more scandalous and flagitious or good and praiseworthy actions; and then, if the number of the scandalous was the larger, he was condemned; if the scandalous were outweighed by the virtuous, he was acquitted. For they considered that it was not possible for human strength always to keep the right course, and that those ought to be reckoned good men, not who never committed a crime, but who more frequently acted virtuously.

514. OF TRANSLATION. As to the translations, he is very sensible what constant and unflagging attention is requisite to catch the sense of the original, and what discrimination in the choice of English to do justice to it. And further, over and above actual faults, variety of tastes and fluctuation of moods among readers make it impossible so to translate as to please every one; and if a translator be conscious to himself, as he may well be, of viewing either original or version differently, according to the time or feeling

in which he takes it up, much more will he resign himself to such differences of judgment in the case of other minds. It should be considered, too, that translation in itself is, after all, but a problem how, two languages being given, the nearest approximation may be made in the second to the expression of ideas already conveyed through the medium of the first. The problem almost starts with the assumption that something must be sacrificed; the chief question is what is the least sacrifice. In a balance of difficulties, one translator will aim at being critically correct, and will become obscure, cumbrous and foreign; another will aim at being English, and will appear deficient in scholarship. While grammatical particles are followed out, the spirit evaporates; and while ease is secured, new ideas are intruded, or the point of the original is lost, or the drift of the context broken. Under these circumstances, perhaps it is fair to lay down that while every care must be taken against the introduction of new, or the omission of existing ideas in the original text, yet in a book intended for general reading, faithfulness may be considered simply to consist in expressing in English the sense of the original, the actual words of the latter being viewed mainly as directions to its meaning, and scholarship being necessary in order to gain the full insight which they afford; and next, that where something must be sacrificed, precision or intelligibility, it is better in a popular work to be understood by those who are not critics than to be applauded by those who

are.

It is not

515. STORY OF PERCENNIUS AND VIBULENUS. amiss to observe also how small and mean faculties gotten by education, yet when they fall into great men or great matters do work great and important effects; whereof we see a notable example in Tacitus of two stage players, Percennius and Vibulenus, who by their faculty of playing put the Pannonian armies into an extreme tumult and combustion: for there arising a mutiny amongst them upon the death of Augustus Cæsar, Blæsus the lieutenant had committed some of the mutineers, which were suddenly rescued; whereupon Vibulenus got to be heard speak, which he did in this manner: 'These poor innocent wretches, appointed to cruel death, you have restored to behold the light; but who shall restore my brother to me, or life unto my brother, that was sent hither in message from the legions of Germany, to treat of the common

cause? and he hath murdered him this last night by some of his fencers and ruffians, that he hath about him for his executioners upon soldiers. Answer, Blæsus, what is done with his body? The mortalest enemies do not deny burial. When I have performed my last duties to the corpse with kisses, with tears, command me to be slain beside him: so that these my fellows, for our good meaning and our true hearts to the legions, may have leave to bury us.' With which speech he put the army into an infinite fury and uproar: whereas truth was he had no brother, neither was there any such matter; but he played it merely as if he had been upon the stage.

LORD BACON

516. FRANCIS HENRY, DUKE OF LUXEMBURG. His constitution was feeble and sickly. Cruel imputations had been thrown on his morals. He had been accused of trafficking with sorcerers and vendors of poison, had languished long in a dungeon, and had at length regained his liberty without entirely regaining his honour. He had always been disliked both by Louvois and by Lewis. Yet the war against the European coalition had lasted but a very short time when both the Minister and the king felt that the general who was personally odious to them was necessary to the state. Condé and Turenne were no more; and Luxemburg was without dispute the first soldier that France still possessed. In vigilance, diligence, and perseverance he was deficient. He seemed to reserve his great qualities for great emergencies. It was on a pitched field of battle that he was all himself. His glance was rapid and unerring. His judgment was clearest and surest when responsibility pressed heaviest on him, and when difficulties gathered thickest around him. To his skill, energy and presence of mind his country owed some glorious days. But, though eminently successful in battles, he was not eminently successful in campaigns. He gained immense renown at William's expense; and yet there was, as respected the objects of the war, little to choose between the two commanders. Luxemburg was repeatedly victorious; but he had not the art of inproving a victory. William was repeatedly defeated; but of all generals he was the best qualified to repair a defeat.

LORD MACAULAY

517. TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM

MY VERY GOOD LORD,

The reason why I was so desirous to have had conference with your Lordship at London, was indeed to save you the trouble of writing: I mean, the reason in the second place; for the chief was to see your lordship. But since you are pleased to give me the liberty to send to your lordship one, to whom you will deliver your mind, I take that in so good part, as I think myself tied the more to use that liberty modestly. Wherefore if your lordship will vouchsafe to send me one of your own, except 1 night have leave to come to London, either Mr Packer, my ancient friend, or Mr Aylesbury, of whose good affection towards me I have heard report; to me it shall be indifferent. But if your lordship will have one of my nomination, if I might presume so far, I would name before all others, my lord of Falkland. But because perhaps it may cost him a journey, which I may not in good manners desire, I have thought of Sir Edward Sackville, Sir Robert Mansel, my brother, Mr Solicitorgeneral, who, though he be almost a stranger to me, yet as my case now is, I had rather employ a man of good nature than a friend, and Sir Arthur Ingram, notwithstanding he be great with my lord treasurer. Of these, if your lordship will be pleased to prick one, I hope well I shall entreat him to attend your lordship, and to be sorry never a whit of the employment. Your lordship may take your own time to signify your will, in regard of the present business of parliament. But my time was confined, by due respect, to write a present answer to a letter, which I construed to be a kind letter, and such as giveth me yet hope to shew myself to your lordship,

Your lordship's most obliged friend and faithful servant,

FR. ST. ALBAN

518. It was a singular procession at which the citizens were invited to be present by the summons of the public crier: Yonder warrior is dead; whoever can, let him come to escort Lucius Æmilius; he is borne forth from his house.' It was opened by bands of wailing women, musicians, and dancers; one of the latter was dressed out and furnished with a mask in imitation of the deceased, and by gesture probably and action recalled once more to the multitude the appearance of the well-known man. Then followed the

most magnificent and peculiar part of the solemnity-the procession of ancestors-before which all the rest of the pageant so faded in comparison, that noblemen of the true Roman type enjoined their heirs to restrict the funeral pomp to that procession alone. On the bier overspread with massive purple and gold-embroidered coverlets and fine linen cloths lay the deceased himself, likewise in the full costume of the highest office which he had filled, and surrounded by the armour of the enemies whom he had slain and by the chaplets which in jest or earnest he had won. Behind the bier came the mourners, all dressed in black and without ornament, the sons of the deceased with their heads veiled, the daughters without veil, the relatives and clansmen, the friends, the clients and freedmen. Thus the procession passed on to the Forum. There the corpse was placed in an erect position; the ancestors descended from their chariots and seated themselves in the curule chairs; and the son or nearest gentile kinsman of the deceased ascended the rostra, in order to announce to the assembled multitude in simple recital the names and deeds of each of the men sitting in a circle around him, and, last of all, those of him who had recently died.

The

519. EDUCATION OF THEODOSIUS THE YOUNGER. Roman world was deeply interested in the education of its master. A regular course of study and exercise was judiciously instituted; of the military exercises of riding, and shooting with the bow; of the liberal studies of grammar, rhetoric, and philosophy: the most skilful masters of the East ambitiously solicited the attention of their royal pupil; and several noble youths were introduced into the palace, to animate his diligence by the emulation of friendship. Pulcheria alone discharged the important task of instructing her brother in the arts of government; but her precepts may countenance some suspicion of the extent of her capacity, or of the purity of her intentions. She taught him to maintain a grave and majestic deportment; to walk, to hold his robes, to seat himself on his throne, in a manner worthy of a great prince; to abstain from laughter; to listen with condescension; to return suitable answers; to assume, by turns, a serious or a placid countenance; in a word, to represent with grace and dignity the external figure of a Roman emperor. But Theodosius was never excited to

FOL. CENT.

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