HILE I remained on the other fide of the Po, and you in the territories of Picenum, I did not feel the lofs of you fo much. But now, when I am returned to Rome, and you ftill remain at Picenum, I am much more defirous to fee you; wher ther that the places, where we used to be together, sharpen my remembrance of you, or that nothing excites a vehement defire to fee our abfent friends, fo much as our approach to them; and that the more hopes we have of enjoying our wishes, the more impatient we are for their accomplishment. Whatever is the reafon, deliver me from my uneafinefs: come VOL. II,

A

to

to me, or I will return to the place, from whence I fo inconfiderately haftened; if from this inducement only, to try, whether, when you fhall find yourself at Rome without me, you will write to me in the fame manner I have written to you. Adieu.

OBSERVATIONS.

We learn from this epiftle, that TYRO was the intimate friend of PLINY. But, in what part of Picenum the house of TYRO was fituated, is not mentioned. a Picenum is a

large diftrict of Italy, beyond the Apennines. It is thus defcribed by STRABO. Regio Italia, trans Apenninum, ab ipfis montibus ufque ad mare Adriaticum extenfa, inter Efvin et Leuftrum fluvios; "A region of Italy beyond the Apennines, "extended from thofe mountains to the Adriatic fea, be"tween the rivers fuis and Leuftrum." It lies eastward of Umbria. PLINY, the hiftorian, calls it, quinta regio Italie: "The fifth region of Italy." He tells us, that the Sabines were the firft inhabitants of this country, which became fo populous, that no less than three hundred and fixty thousand of the Picentes fubmitted themselves, and entered into an alliance with the Romans. Thus far of their history may be depended upon: the derivation of their name is fa bulous. Picenum is faid to be fo called from pica, a magpye, which bird went before the Sabines, and was their guide to conduct them from Sabinia, and to fettle them in Picenum. The profperity and the acquifitions of the Romans were fo rapid, and extenfive, that it is by no means furprifing to find miracles, and various fupernatural causes, affigned to the several events, that, in reality, were the fprings, and fources, of the encreasing power of Rome,

The metropolis of Picenum is called Ancona; it was built by the Sicilians, on the Adriatic fhore. TRAJAN adorned it with a very noble part.

EPISTLE

EPISTLE II.

PLINY to ARRIANUS.

N the courts of judicature I cannot help, fome times, looking round, as ufual, for MARCUS REGULUS. I will not fay, I defire to fee him there; why then fhould I look for him? He held our profeffion in great honour, and endeavoured to fucceed in it; but he always trembled, grew pale, and wrote before he pleaded; and he never could leave off the custom of anointing, fometimes his right, and fometimes his left eye his right, if he was to plead on the fide of the plaintiff, his left, if on the fide of the defendant. If he transferred this paint, or white patches, from one eyebrow to another, it was owing to an unmanly fuperftition; and it was the fame weakness, added to a mistaken love of knowledge in general, that made him confult foothfayers upon the event of each cause. To mention particularly what was agreeable in him to thofe, who were concerned with him in the fame caufe; he was the man, who defired they might not be circumfcribed in time, and always took care to provide an audience. What therefore could be more agreeable, than that you might fpeak as long as you pleased, while another perfon fuffered all the odium, which might arife from the tediousness of your harangue and that you might speak in the manner you chufe before an audience, which did not come together at your defire? But however these things happened, REGULUS did well to die: had he died before, he would have done better; for he might have lived, without any danger to the public, under a prince, in whofe reign he could have done no mifchief. It is therefore allowable, to be now and then at a lofs for him for after he died, the custom of being confined

to the space of two water-glaffes, or one, or sometimes half a one, prevailed, and was established. For, the advocates now grow tired of fpeaking before the caufe is fully explained; and the judges would rather have the pleadings finished, than their judgements rightly informed. So great is the negligence, fo great the indolence, and, above all, fo great the irreverence fhewn to our profeffion, and the dangerous confequences arifing from that difrepect. Are we wiser than our ancestors? Are our laws more juft than theirs, which allowed fo many hours, fo many days, fo many adjournments of every pleading? Were they more flow of apprehenfion, or beyond measure dilatory? We speak more freely, understand more clearly, judge more righteously, because we hurry over causes, in fewer hours, than they allowed days for the hearing of them. O REGULUS! your ambition gained you from all, what very few men, of the most excellent character, could procure. Indeed, as often as I fit in judgement, which happens oftner than when I plead, I allow as much time, as any perfon requires; for I think it would be rashness to guess, what space of time a cause, which I have not heard, may take up; or to put an end to an affair, the merits of which I cannot forefee; efpecially when patience in a judge ought to be confidered as one of the chief branches of his duty, as it certainly is of juftice. Well, but fome unneceffary things are faid: true, but it is better, that what is unneceffary fhould be fpoken, than that what is neceffary fhould be omitted. Befides, you cannot tell, what is unneceffary, till you hear it. But of thefe, and all other corruptions of our city, a perfonal converfation will be beft; for, your love of the public, as well as mine, makes you with many things amended, which, at prefent, are not eafily to be reformed.

*

a Clepfydra; anfwerable to our hour glaffes. See Book 2. Ep.

Now