it is the drefs they favour; it is the drefs that captivates them. And if in the midst of the course the different parties were to change habits, their different favourers would change fides, and inftantly defert the very fame men and horfes, whom they just before were eagerly following with their eyes, as far as they could fee, and hallooing out their names with all the warmth of exclamation. Such mighty charms, fuch wonderous power is there in a vile tunic! and this in the fentiments, not only of the vulgar (more contemptible than the habit they efpoufe), bat even in the opinion of fome grave perfonages. When I obferve fuch men thus infatiably fond of fo filly, fo low, fo uninterefting, fo common an entertainment, I congratulate myself that I am infenfible to thefe pleafures and am glad to employ the leifure of this feafon upon my books, which others throw away upon the most idle employment. Farewel. LETTER CXXII. To Romenus. Bait, one of them ftands upon a rock. and has a profpect of the lake; the other actually touches it. The firft, fupported as it were by the lofty bufkin ‡, I call my tragic; the other, as refting upon the humble fock, my comic villa. They have both their particular beauties, which recommend themselves to me fo much the more, as they are of different kinds. The former commands a wider profpect of the lake; the latter enjoys a nearer view of it. This by an eafy bend embraces a little bay; the promontory upon which the other ftands forms two. Here you have a strait walk extending itself along the banks of the lake; there a fpacious terrace that falls by a gentle defcent towards it. The former does not perceive the force of the waves 5 the latter breaks them: from that you fee the fishing veffels below; from this you may fifh yourself, and throw your line out of your chamber, and even as you lie in bed, as out of a boat. It is the beauties therefore thefe agreeable villas poffefs, that tempt me to add to them those which are wanting. But I need not affign a reason to you; who undoubtedly will think it a fufficient one that I follow your example. Farewel YOUR letter informs me, that you are engaged in building, and I am glad to find you are; for I may now defend my own conduct by your example. I am myfelf employed in the fame fort of work; and fince I have you, who fhall deny I have reafon on my fide? We are pretty much agreed likewife, I find, in our Stations; and as your buildings are carred on upon the fea-coaft, mine are fing upon the fide of the Larian lake. I have feveral villas upon the borders of this lake, but there are two particularly, in which as I take moft delight, fo they give me most employment. They are both fituated in the manner of those at Ac The performers at thefe games were divided to companies, diftinguished by the particular cowut of their habits; the principal of which were the white, the red, the blue, and the green. cordingly, the fpectators favoured one or the other colour, as humour and caprice inclined them. the reign of Juftinian a tumult arofe in Conftantisople, occafioned merely by a contention among the partifans of theic feveral colours, wherein no 2 than 30,000 men loft their lives. In t Now called Caftello di Baia, in Terra di Lavoro. It was the place the Romans chofe for their winter retreat; and which they frequented upon account of its warm baths. Some few ruins of the beautiful villas that once covered this delightful higher idea of the prodigious expence and magnificoaft, ftill remain; and nothing can give one a cence of the Romans in their private buildings, than the manner in which fome of these were fituated. It appears from this letter, as well as from feveral other paffages in the claffic writers, that they actually projected into the fea, being here, indeed, luxury feems to have reigned in her erected upon vaft piles funk for that purpofe. And moft licentious refinements of all kinds; while the principal amufement of the place confifted in failing upon the gulph in gaily painted barks, accompanied with all the melting fortnefs that exquifite wines, fine women, and rapturous mufic could infpire. There was fomething even in the natural as well as artificial turn of the fcene, which feemed formed to throw the mind into a state of foftness and difliinfomuch that Seneca, with all his stoical pation; fortitude, durft not trust himself in it above a day, See Seneca, ep. 51. The bufkin was a kind of high fhoe worn upon the stage by the actors of tragedy, in order to give them a more heroical elevation of stature; as the fock was fomething between a fhoe and stocking, and appropriated to the comic players. I LETTER CXXIII. To Colo. GREATLY admire the generous grief you fhew for the death of Pompeius Quinetianus, as it is a proof that your affection for your departed friend does not terminate with his life: far different from those who love, or rather, I fhould more properly fay, who counterfeit love to none but the living: nor indeed even that any longer than they are the favourites of fortune; for the unhappy are no more the object of their thoughts, than the dead. But your friendship is raised upon a more latting foundation, and the conftancy of your affection can only end with your life. Quinetianus, moft certainly, well deferved to meet with that generous warmth from his friends, of which he was himself fo bright an example. He loved them in profperity; he protected them in adverfity; he lamented them in death. How open was his countenance! how modeft his converfation! how equally did he temper gravity with gaiety! how fond was he of learning! how judicious his fentiments! how dutiful to a father of a very different character! how did he reconcile his obedience to his virtue; and continue a good fon, without forfeiting the title of a good man!-But I must not sharpen your affliction by reminding you of his merit-yet I know your affection for the memory of this excellent youth is fuch, that you had rather endure the pain of hearing him mentioned, than fuffer his virtues to be paffed over in filence; efpecially by me, whofe applaufe, you imagine, will adorn his actions, extend his fame, and reitore him, as it were, to that life from which he is unhappily fuatched. Farewel. LETTER CXXIV. To Tacitus. THOUGH you are by no means in clined to feif-admiration, yet, be affured, none of my writings are more fincerely the undiffembled dictates of my real thoughts, than thofe of which you are the fubject. Whether, indeed, pofterity will concern herself with either of us, I know not; but furely we deferve fome fmall regard at least, I will not fay be too vain a pretenfion), but from our upon account of our geniufes (that would application, our labours, and that high reverence we pay to her. Proceed we then, my friend, in the courfe we have few to the fairest point of luftre and repubegun, which as it has conducted fome tation, fo it has led out numbers from fi ience and obfcurity. Farewel. LETTER CXXV. I houfe; however, I bear with it in others. And why then (you will be ready to afk) fhould you not have them your"felf?" The truth is, because the foft geftures of the wanton, the pleafantries of the buffoon, or the extravagancies of the fool, give me no entertainment, as they give me no furprife. It is my particular tafte, you fee, not my judgment, that I plead against them. And indeed, what numbers are there who think the entertainments which you and I are most delighted with, to be no better than impertinent follies! How many are there, who as foon as a reader, a musician, or a comedian is introduced, either take their leave of the company, or if they continue at the table, fhew as much dislike to this kind of diverfions, as you did at those monfters, as you call them! Let us bear therefore, my friend, with others in their amufements, that they, in return, may fhew indulgence to ours. Farewel. Thefe perfons were introduced at most of the tables of the great, for the purposes of mirth and gaiety, and constituted an effential part in all pos lite entertainments among the Romans. LETTER CXXVI. To Ruffo. YOU have read, it feems, in a letter of mine, that Virginius Rufus directed the following lines to be infcribed upon his tomb : Here Rufus lies, who Vindex' arms withstood, Not for himfelf, but for his country's good : for which you blame him, and think Frontinus acted much more reafonably, in forbidding any monument whatsoever to be erected to his memory. And in the conclufion of your letter you defire my fentiments upon each. I loved them both; but I confefs I admired him most whom you condemn; and to fuch a degree, that fo far from imagining I ever fhould have occafion to rife up in his defence, I thought he could never be fufficiently applauded. In my opinion, every man who has acted a great and memorable part, deferves not only to be excufed but approved, if he purfues that glorious immortality of fame he has merited, and endeavours to perpetuate an everlasting remembrance of himself, even by monumental infcriptions. Yet hardly thall you find a man, who had performed fuch great atchievements, fo modeftly referved upon the fubject of his own actions, as Virginius was. I can bear him witnefs (and I had the happiness to enjoy his intimacy and affection) that I never but once heard him mention his own condact; and that was, in giving an account of a converfation which palled between him and Cluvius: "You well know (faid Cluvius to him) the fidelity required in "an historian; you will pardon me therefore, I hope, if you should meet with any thing in my works, that is not agreeable to you."- O Cluvius (he replied), can you be ignorant that what "I did, was in prder that every man might enjoy the liberty of writing what "he pleased?" But let us compare Frontinus with him in that very inftance wherein you think the former is more modeft and referved. He forbid a monument to be erected to him, it is true; but in what words?" The expence of a monument (fays he) is fuperfluous; "my memory will remain, if my actions "deferve it." Is there lefs vanity, do you think, thus to proclaim to all the " " world that his memory would remain; than to mark upon a fingle tombstone, in two lines, the actions one has performed? It is not, however, my design to condemn your favourite; I only mean to defend Virginius: and what argument can be more prevailing with you, than one drawn from a comparison between him and the perfon you prefer? In my own opinion, indeed, neither of them deferve to be condemned, fince they both purfued glory with the fame paffion, but by different roads; the former in defiring those monumental honours he had merited; the latter, in rather choofing the appearance of defpifing them. Farewel. yOUR freedman, whom you lately mentioned to me with displeasure, has been with me, and threw himself at my feet with as much fubmiffion as he could have done at yours. He earnestly requefted me with many tears, and even with all the eloquence of filent forrow, to intercede for him; in fhort, he convinced me by his whole behaviour, that he fincerely repents of his fault. And I am perfuaded he is thoroughly reformed, becaufe he feems entirely fenfible of his guilt. I know you are angry with him, and I know too, it is not without reason; but clemency can never exert itself with more applaufe, than when there is the jufteft caufe for refentment. You once had an affection for this man, and, I hope, will have again: in the mean while, let me only prevail with you to pardon him. If he fhould incur your displeasure hereafter, you will have fo much the ftronger plea in excufe for your anger, as you thew yourfelf more exorable to him now. Allow fomething to his youth, to his tears, and to your own natural mildness of temper: do not make him uneafy any longer, and I will add too, do not make yourself fo; for a man of your benevofence of heart cannot be angry without feeling great regret. I am afraid, were I to join my intreaties with his, I should feem rather to compel, than request you It appears from hence, that this was not a teftamentary direction, but a declaration in some work which Frontinus had published. to to forgive him. Yet I will not fcruple to do it and in fo much the stronger terms, as I have very fharply and feverely reproved him, pofitively threatening never to interpofe again in his behalf. But though it was proper to fay this to him, in order to make him more fearful of offending, I do not fay fo to you. I may, perhaps, again have occafion to intreat you upon his account, and again obtain your forgiveness; fuppofing, I mean, his error fhould be fuch as may become me to intercede for, and you to pardon. Farewel. I LETTER CXXVIII. To Severus. HAVE been much alarmed by the ill ftate of health of Paffienus Paulus, as indeed I had many and juit reafons. He has a moit excellent and generous heart, of which I have the happinefs to fhare the warmest friendship. In his writings he very fuccefsfully emulates the ancients, whofe fpirit and manner he has clofely imitated and happily restored; efpecially that of Propertius, to whom he is no lefs related by genius, than by blood, as he particularly refembles that poet in his chief excellency. When you read his elegies, whatever is elegant, tender, and agreeable, will confpire to charm you; as you will clearly difcover they derive their lineage from Propertius. He has lately made fome attempts in the lyric kind, in which he as fuccefsfully copies the manner of Horace, as he has that of the other poet juft mentioned. You would imagine, were there fuch a thing as a kindred in genius, that the blood of Horace likewife flowed in his veins. He difplays a most wonderful compafs and pregnancy of imagination: when he defcribes the paffion of love, you perceive his heart is entirely poffed by the moft tender fentiments; when he paints the emotions of grief, you fee his breaft is penetrated with the deepett forrow: when ao enters upon topics of panegyric, it is with all the ardour of the warmest benevolence; when he diverts himmelf with ubjects of pleafantry, it is in the fpirit of the most agreeable gaiety; in fhort, whatever fpecies of poetry he engages in, he executes it with fuch & matterly hand, hat one would imagine it were the tingle IT has frequently happened, as I have been pleading before the centumviri, that thofe venerable judges, after having preferved as much as poffible the gravity and folemnity fuitable to their character, have at length been forced, as it were, to break through all restraints, and have rifen up, with one confent, in my applaufe. I have often likewife gained as much glory in the fenate, as my utmost wishes could defire: but I never was touched with a more fenfible pleasure than by an account which I lately received from Cornelius Tacitus. He informed me, that at the laft Circenfian games he fat next to a Roman knight, who, after much difcourfe had paffed between them upon various points of learning, afked him if he was an Italian, or a provincial? Tacitus replied, "Your ac quaintance with literature must have "informed you who I am." Ay! faid the knight, "Pray then is it Tacitus or Pliny I am talking with "I cannot exprefs how highly I am pleafed to find, that our names are not fo much the pro per appellatives of men, as a kind of diftinétion for learning herfelf; and that eloquence renders us known to thofe who would be ignorant of us by any other means. An accident of the fame nature happened to me a few days ago. Fabius Rufinus, a perfon of diftinguished merit, was placed next to me at table; and below him a countryman of his, who was juit then come to Rome for the first time. Rufinus defired his friend to take notice of me, and fell into a converfation upon the fubject of my eloquence: to whom the "That mut other immediately replied, undoubtedly be Pliny." To own the truth, I look upon thefe inftances as 3 very confiderable recompence of my labours. Had Demofthenes reafon to be pleafed with the old woman of Athens crying out, "This is Demofthenes!" and may I not be allowed to congratulate myfelf upon the extenfive reputation my name has acquired? Yes, my friend, I will rejoice in it, and without fcruple own that I do. As I only mention the judgment of others concerning me, not the opinion I conceive of myself, I am not afraid of incurring the cenfure of vanity; especially from you, who, as you envy no man's reputation, fo you are particularly zealous for mine. Farewel. LETTER CXXX. To Sabinianus. GREATLY approve of your having; in compliance with my letter, received again into your family and favour, freed-man, whom you once admitted into a hare of your affection. It will afford you, I doubt not, great fatisfaction. It me; when I fhall have dispatched these, I LETTER CXXXII. SAID once (and I think not impro perly) of a certain orator of the prefent age, whofe compofitions are extremely regular and correct, but by no means fublime and ornamented, "His only fault is, that he has none.' Whereas he who is poffeffed of the true fpirit of oratory, fhould be bold and elevated, and fometimes even flame out and be hurried away with all the warmth and violence of paffion; in fhort, he should frequently foar to great and even dangerous heights: for precipices are genecertainly, at least has me, both as it is a rally near whatever is towering and exproof that you are capable of being goalted. The plain, 'tis true, affords a verned in your paffion, and as it is an inflance of your paying fo much regard to me, as either to yield to my authority, or to comply with my requeft. You will accept, therefore, at once, both of my applaufe and my thanks. At the fame time I must advise you to be difpofed for the future to pardon the errors of your people, though there fhould be none to interpofe in their behalf. Farewel. LETTER CXXXI. To Mamilianus. THOUGH you complain of the crowd of military affairs which prefs upon you, yet, as if you were enjoying the moft uninterrupted leifure, you read and admire, it feems, my poetical trifles, and not a little encourage me ftill to perfevere in them. I begin, indeed, to purfue this kind of ftudy, not only with a view to my amusement, but my glory, fince they have approved themselves to the judgment of a man of your gravity and tearning, and, what is more than all, of your veracity. At prefent I have fome caufes upon my hands, which (though not very deeply indeed, however) engage fafer, but for that reason a more humble and inglorious path: they that run are more likely to ftumble than they that creep; but the latter gain no honour by not flipping, while the former even fall with glory. It is with eloquence as with fome other arts; fhe is never more pleafing than when the hazards moft. Have you not observed what acclamations our rope-dancers excite, at the inftant of imminent danger? Whatever is most unexpected and hazardous; or, as the Greeks ftrongly exprefs it, whatever is most daring, has always the greatest fhare of our admiration. The pilot's fkill is by no means equally proved in a calm, as in a ftorm: in the former cafe he tamely enters the port, unnoticed and unapplauded; but when the cordage cracka, the mait bends, and the rudder groans, then is it that he fhines forth in full luftre, and is adored as little inferior to a fea-god. The reafon of my making this obfervation is, becaufe, if I mistake not, you have marked fome paffages in my writings for being tumid, exorbitant, and overwrought, which, in my eftimation, are Alluding to the Roman ftandard, which was an eagle fixed upon the top of a speat. |