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cent and becoming garb, the recommended herself to the early notice of mortals, inspiring the breafts of the blameless and the good: bere first the voice divine of oracles was heard. But he of modern growth, offspring of lucre and contention, was born in evil days, and employed (as Aper very juftly expreffed it) instead of a weapon: whilst happier times, or, in the language of the Mufes, the golden age, free alike from orators and from crimes, abounded with inspired poets, who exerted their noble talents, not in defending the guilty, but in celebrating the good, Accordingly no character was ever more eminently distinguished, or more auguftly honored: first by the gods themselves, to whom the poets were fuppofed to serve as ministers at their feafts, and messengers of their high behefts; and afterwards by that facred offspring of the gods, the first venerable race of legiflators. In that glorious lift we read the names, not of orators indeed, but of Orpheus, and Linus, or, if we are inclined to trace the illuftrious roll still higher, even of Apollo himself.

BUT thefe, perhaps, will be treated by Aper as heroes of Romance. He cannot however

however deny, that Homer has received as fignal honors from pofterity, as Demofthenes; or that the fame of Sophocles or Euripides is as extensive, as that of Lyfias or Hyperides; that Cicero's merit is less univerfally confessed than Virgil's; or that not one of the compofitions of Afinius or Meffalla is in fo much request, as the Medea of Ovid, or the Thyestes of Varius. I will advance even farther, and venture to compare the unenvied fortune and happy selfconverse of the poet, with the anxious and bufy life of the orator; notwithstanding the hazardous contentions of the latter, may poffibly raise him even to the confular dignity. Far more defirable, in my estimation, was the calm retreat of Virgil: where yet he lived not unhonored by his prince, nor unregarded by the world. If the truth of either of these affertions fhould be queftioned, the letters of Auguftus will witness the former; as the latter is evident from the conduct of the whole Roman people, who, when some verses of that divine poet were repeated in the theatre, where he happened to be present, rose up to a man, and faluted him with the fame refpect they

would

would have paid to Augustus himself. But to mention our own times: I would afk whether Secundus Pomponius is any thing inferior, either in dignity of life, or folidity of reputation, to Aper Domitius? As to Crifpus or Marcellus, to whom Aper refers me for an animating example, what is there in their prefent exalted fortunes really defirable? Is it that they pass their whole lives either in being alarmed for themselves, or in ftriking terror into others? Is it that they are daily under a neceffity of courting the very men they hate; that holding their dignities by unmanly adulation, their masters never think them sufficiently flaves, nor the ple fufficiently free? And, after all, what is this their fo much envied power? Nothing more, in truth, than what many a paltry freed-man has frequently enjoyed. But-"ME let the lovely Mufes lead (as Virgil fings) to filent groves and heaven

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ly haunted streams, remote from busi"nefs and from care; and ftill fuperior to "the painful neceffity of acting in wretch"ed oppofition to my better heart. Nor "let me more, with anxious steps and "dangerous, pursue pale fame amidst the

"noify forum! May never clamorous fuit

ors, nor panting freed-men with offici"ous haste, awake my peaceful flumbers! "Uncertain of futurity, and equally un"concerned, ne'er may I bribe the favor "of the great, by rich bequests to avarice "infatiate; nor, accumulation vain! amafs "more wealth than I may transfer as in"clination prompts, whenever shall arrive

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my life's last fatal period: And then, "not in horrid guife of mournful pomp, "but crowned with chaplets gay, may I be " entombed; nor let a friend, with unavailing zeal, folicit the useless tribute of post"humous memorials!"

MATERNUS had fcarce finished these words, which he uttered with great emotion and with an air of inspiration, when Meffalla entered the room: who, obferving much attention in our countenances, and imagining the converfation turned upon fomething of more than ordinary import; Perhaps, faid he, you are engaged in a confultation, and, I doubt, I am guilty of an unfeasonable interruption. By no means, anfwered Secundus: on the contrary, I wish you had given us your company fooner; for,

I am perfuaded, you would have been extremely entertained. Our friend Aper has, with great eloquence, been exhorting Maternus, to turn the whole ftrength of his genius and his ftudies to the business of the forum: while Maternus, on the other hand, agreeably to the character of one who was pleading the caufe of the Mufes, has defended his favorite art with a boldnefs and elevation of style more fuitable to a poet than an orator.

It would have afforded me infinite pleafure, replied Meffalla, to have been present at a debate of this kind. And I cannot but express my fatisfaction, in finding the most eminent orators of our times, not confining their geniuses to points relating to their profeffion; but canvaffing fuch other topics in their converfation, as give a very advantageous exercise to their faculties, at the fame time that it furnishes an entertainment of the most inftructive kind, not only to themselves, but to those who have the privilege of being joined in their party. And believe me, Secundus, the world received with much approbation your history of J. Afiaticus, as an earneft that you intend to publish

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