your hands with the fame grateful difpofition that I am fure you will receive mine. Farewel.

LETTER XXIX.

To Catilius.

ACCEPT of your invitation to fupper; but I muft make this agreement before hand, that you difmifs me foon, and treat me frugally. Let our entertainment bound only in philofophical converfation; and even that too with moderation. There are certain midnight parties, which Cato timfelf could not fafely fall in with; though I must confefs at the fame time, that Julius Cæfar *, when he reproaches him upon that head, exalts the character he endeavours to expofe: for he defcribes thofe perfons who met this reeling patriot, as blushing when they discovered who he was; and adds, you would have thought that Cato had detected them, and not they Cato. Could he place the digity of Cato in a stronger light, than by reprefenting him thus venerable even in ha cups? As for ourfelves, nevertheless, let temperance not only spread our table, but regulate our hours: for we are not arrived at fo high a reputation, that our enemies cannot cenfure us but to our honour. Farewel.

LETTER XXX. To Proculus.

in

You defire me to read your poems my retirement, and to examine whether they are fit for public view; and afto requesting me to turn fome of my leifare hours from my own ftudies to yours, vos remind me that Tully was remarkable for his generous encouragement and patronage of poetical geniuses. But you did not do me juftice, if you supposed I wanted either intreaty or example upon this occafion, who not only honour the afes with the most religious regard, but have alfo the warmest friendship for yourfelf: I fhall therefore do what you require, with as much pleasure as care. I believe I may venture to declare be

Jalius Cæfar wrote an invective against Cato of Ufca, to which, it is peshable, Pliny here al

forehand, that your performance is extremely beautiful, and ought by no means to be fuppreffed; at least that was my opinion when I heard you recite it: if indeed your manner did not impofe upon me; for the fkill and harmony of your elocution is certainly inchanting. I truft, however, the charming cadence did not entirely overcome theforce of my criticism; it might poffibly a little foften its severity, but could not totally, I imagine, difarm me of it. I think therefore I may now fafely pronounce my opinion of your poems in general: what they are in their feveral parts, I fhall judge when I read them. Farewel.

LETTER XXXI.

To Nepos.

I HAVE frequently obferved, that amongst the noble actions and remarkable fayings of diftinguished perfons in either fex, thofe which have been most celebrated have not always been the most illuftrious; and I am confirmed in this opinion, by a converfation I had yefterday with Fannia. This lady is granddaughter to that celebrated Arria, who animated her husband to meet death by her own glorious example. She informed me of feveral particulars relating to Arria, not lefs heroical than this famous action of hers, though lefs taken notice of: which I am perfuaded will raise your admiration as much as they did mine. Her hufband Cæcinna Pætus, and her fon, were both at the fame time attacked with a dangerous illness, of which the fon died. This youth, who had a most beautiful lefs endeared to his parents by his virtues perfon and amiable behaviour, was not than by the ties of affection. His mother Pætus did not know of his death. Whenmanaged his funeral fo privately, that ever she came into his bed-chamber, she

pretended her fon was better and as would anfwer that he had refted well, or often as he enquired after his health, had eat with an appetite. When the found the could no longer restrain her grief, but her tears were gushing out, The would leave the room, and having given vent to her paffion, return again with dry eyes and a ferene countenance, as if he had difmiffed every fentiment of K 2 forrow

forrow at her entrance. The action was, no doubt, truly noble, when drawing the dagger fhe plunged it in her breaft, and then prefented it to her husband with that ever memorable, I had almost faid that divine expreffion, Pætus, it is not painful. It must however be confidered, when she spoke and acted thus, he had the profpect of immortal glory before her eyes to encourage and fupport her. But was it not fomething much greater, without the view of fuch powerful motives, to hide her tears, to conceal her grief, and cheerfully feem the mother when she was fo no more?

Scribonianus had taken up arms in Illyria against Claudius, where having loft his life, Pætus, who was of his party, was brought prifoner to Rome. When they were going to put him on board a fhip, Arria befought the foldiers that she might be permitted to go with him: Certainly, faid fhe, you cannot refufe a man of confular dignity, as he is, a few flaves to wait upon him; but if you will take me, I alone will perform their office. This favour, however, the could not obtain; upon which the hired a small fishing veffel, and boldly ventured to follow the fhip. At her return to Rome, fhe met the wife of Scribonianus in the emperor's palace, who preffing her to dif

*The story, as mentioned by feveral of the ancient hiftorians, is to this purpose: Pætus having

joined Scribonianus, who was in arms in Illyria against Claudius, was taken after the death of the latter, and condemned to death. Arria, having in vain folicited his life, perfuaded him to destroy himfelf, rather than fuffer the ignominy of falling by the executioner's hands; and in order to encourage him to an act, to which it feems he was not much inclined, the fet him the example in the manner Pliny relates.

66

"In a pleafure-houfe belonging to the Villa Ludovifa at Rome there is a fine ftatue reprefent❝ing this action: Pætus is ftabbing himself with one hand, and holds up the dying Arria with the other. Her finking body hangs fo loofe, as if every joint were relaxed." Wright's Travels, Martial alfo has celebrated this heroic P. 334. action in a famous epigram:

Cafta fuo gladium cum traderet Aria Pato,

Quem de vifceribus traxerat ipfa fuis;

Si qua fides, vulnus quod feci non dolet, inquit,
Sed quod tu facies, boc mihi, Pate, doict.

L. i. 14.

cover all the know of that infurrection, What! faid fhe, fhall I regard thy advice, who faw thy hufband murdered even in thy very arms, and yet furviveft him? An expresion which plainly fhews, that the noble manner in which the put an end to her life was no unpremeditated effect of fudden paflion. When Thrasea, who married her daughter, was diffuading her from her purpose of deftroying herfelf, and among other arguments which he used, faid to her, Would you then advise your daughter to die with me, if my life were to be taken from me? Moft certainly I would, fhe replied, if fhe had lived as long and in as much harmony with you, as I have with my Pætus. This anfwer greatly heightened the alarm of her family, and made them observe her for the future more narrowly; which when the perceived, the affured them all their caution would be to no purpofe. You may oblige me, faid the, to execute my refolution in a way that will give me more pain, but it is impoffible you fhould prevent it. She had fcarce faid this, when the sprang from her chair, and running her head with the utmost violence against the wall, fhe fell down, in appearance dead. But being brought to herfelf, I told you, faid the, if you would not fuffer me to take the eafy paths to death, I fhould make my way to it through fome more difficult paffage. Now, is there not, my friend, fomething much greater in all this, than the fo much talked of, Pætus, it is not painful? to which, indeed, it seems to have led the way: and yet this laft is the favourite topic of fame, while all the former are paffed over in profound filence. Whence I cannot but infer, what I obferved in the beginning of my letter, that the moit famous actions are not always the most noble. Farewel.

TO what thall I attribute your long filence? Is it want of health, or want of leifure that prevents your writing? Or

fword,

And gave the deathful weapon to her lord, My wound, the faid, believe me, does not fmart; ?Tis thine alone, my Pætus, pains my heart.

nity of conveying your letters? Free me, I intreat you, from the perplexity of thefe doubts; for they are more, be affured, than I am able to fupport; and

do

do fo, even though it be at the expence of an exprefs meifenger: I will gladly bear his charges, and even reward him too, fhould he bring me the news I wish. As for myself, I am well; if that, with any propriety, can be faid of a man no lives in the utmost fufpenfe and xiety, under the apprehenfion of all the accidents which can poffibly befal the and he most tenderly loves. Farewel.

LETTER XXXIII.

To Maximus.

You remember, no doubt, to have read what commotions were occafioned by the law which directs that the elections of magiftrates fhall be by balloting, and how much the author of it was both approved and condemned. Yet this very the fenate lately unanimously received, and upon the election day, with one confent, called for the ballots. It must be cwned, the method by open votes had troduced into the fenate more riot and forder than is feen even in the affemLies of the people; all order in speaking, a decency of filence, all dignity of charafter, was broke through; and it was verfal diffonance and clamour : here, the feveral candidates running from fide to fide with their patrons; there, a troop leted together in the middle of the enate houfe; and, in fhort, the whole mbly divided into feparate parties, created the most indecent confufion. Thus widely had we departed from the manen of our ancestors, who conducted thefe elections with a calmness and reguanty fuitable to the reverence which is te to the majefty of the fenate. I have teen informed by fome who remember asfe times, that the method obferved in their affemblies was this: the name of the perfon who offered himself for any ce being called over, a profound fiexce enfued, when immediately the cancdate appeared, who after he had spoken for himself, and given an account to the Senate of his life and manners, called

The author of this law was one Gabinius, a

2 hane of the people, A. U. 614. It gave a very siderable blow to the influence of the nobility, in this way of ballot ng, it could not be dif wered on which fide the people gave their votes, and confequently took off that reftraint they before my ander, by the fear of offending their fupe

witneffes in fupport of his character. These were, either the perfon under whom he had ferved in the army, or to whom he had been Quæftor, or both (if the cafe admitted of it); to whom he also joined fome of thofe friends who espoused his intereft. They delivered what they had to fay in his favour, in few words, but with great dignity: and this had far more influence than the modern method of humble folicitation. Sometimes the candidate would object either to the birth, or age, or character of his competitor; to which the fenate would liften with a fevere and impartial attention: and thus was merit generally preferred to interest. But corruption having abused this wife inftitution of our ancestors, we were obliged to have recourfe to the way of balloting, as the most probable remedy for this evil. The method being new, and immediately put in practice, it answered the prefent purpose very well: but, I am afraid, in procefs of time it will introduce new inconveniences; as this manner of balloting feems to afford a fort of fcreen to injuftice and partiality. For how few are there who preferve the fame delicacy of conduct in fecret, as when expofed to the view of the world? The truth is, the generality of mankind revere Fame more than Confcience. But this, perhaps, may be pronouncing too haftily upon a future contingency: be it therefore as it may, we have in the mean while obtained by this method an election of fuch magiftrates as beft deferved the honour. For it was with us as with those fort of judges who are named upon the fpot, we were taken before we had time to be biaffed, and therefore determined impartially.

I have given you this detail, not only as a piece of news; but because I am glad to feize every opportunity of speaking of the republic; a fubject, which as we have fewer occafions of mentioning than our ancestors, fo we ought to be more careful not to let any of them flip. In good earnest, I am tired with repeating over and over the fame compliments, How d' ye do and I hope you are well. Why fhould our letters for ever turn upon trivial and domeftic concerns? It is true, indeed, the direction of the public weal is in the hands of a fingle perfon, who, for the general good, takes upon himself folely to eafe us of the care and weight

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