migration of souls; and thereby extended their influence to varied scenes of existence beyond the grave. They retained in their hands the formidable engine of excommunication, which involved an exclusion from the joys of a future state, and the infliction of eternal punishments. By these means they extended their authority as far as imagination could carry its fears, and maintained an uncontrolled dominion over their votaries. No system of superstition was ever more horrible than theirs; none ever better calculated to impress ignorance with awful terror; and to extort implicit obedience from a deluded people.

With respect to civilization, the Britons seem to have been nearly on a level with the Gauls, the Germans, and other nations of the middle and northern parts of Europe, at that remote period. Agriculture was not unknown among them, they produced corn for their support, and kept various animals for food.

It does not appear that the Britons had either gold or silver among them. The precious metals, indeed, were at that time exceedingly scarce in all those parts of Europe that were distant from Rome, and unsubdued by her arms. The Britons, in their traffic, used instead of money, either rings or small plates of iron. That they had foreign commerce is certain; for besides their Phenician traffic, the inhabitants of Gaul traded to Britain, in vessels of considerable size.

After the retreat of Julius Cæsar from this island, the civil wars so completely occupied his attention, that he thought no more of Britain ; and, for almost a century after, its inhabitants were subject only to their own princes, and governed by their own laws. The Romans, however, still retained their claim, founded on Cæsar's expedition: and the Britons, for the sake of peace and free intercourse with Gaul, endeavoured to preserve their friendship, by paying a small tribute. The reign of Claudius forms the epoch from whence the Roman power, in this island, dates its commencement. In less than twenty years, a regular correspondence with Rome was commenced, and all the marks of an active commerce appeared. The most eminent persons were the first in adopting Roman manners,

and the petty princes of Britain contributed to enslave themselves, by their imitation of these polished strangers. The Druids alone, among whom all power had concentrated, made every effort to excite the people to rebellion against their new masters. They saw, with regret, the subversion of the ancient constitution, and the consequent extinction of their own power and influence. Their exhortations having great effect on superstitious minds, Suetonius Paulinus, Nero's lieutenant, resolved on their extirpation, and marched to attack the Isle of Mona, now Anglesea, in which was situated their most celebrated sanctuary, and their last retreat. While he was on this expedition, Boadicea headed an insurrection against the RoHer fury was first directed against the Roman colony of Verulam, now St. Alban's, which she took by assault, putting all to the sword. Her arms were equally successful against several other cities, which experienced the same treat

mans.

ment.

But Paulinus, on his return, defeated her army, and saved the remainder of the Romans.

The Britons, by repeated insurrections, continued, during many years their struggle for national independence. At length Julius Agricola, with a powerful army, reduced to subjection the greatest part of the island, and secured, by a judicious policy, what his arms had subdued. He also resumed the expedition against Mona, and accomplished the destruction or expulsion of the Druids. Gaining by his affability the affections of the people, he disposed them to adopt Roman manners, by conferring on them the name and privileges of citizens; receiving them into his armies; raising them to military promotion; and distinguishing them by honorary rewards, and well timed applause. This great man was indeed the conqueror and the legislator of Britain. Agricola penetrated as far as the Firth of Murray, and defeated the whole force of the Caledonians, under their king Galgacus. The people now entirely conformed to the Roman customs; studied the Latin language; and were governed by the Roman laws. The temples, palaces, baths, and all other edifices, public and private, were constructed after the Roman manner.

The inhabitants considered themselves as Romans, and regarded their unsubdued countrymen as barbarians.

The Romans made numerous and great improvements, and the Britons were pleased with their situation, and the comforts which it produced. Many of the emperors had a particular regard to the welfare of the province. Walls or intrenchments, were at different periods made for its defence against the inroads of the unsubdued nations in the northern parts. Trajan caused the roads to be completed; and thus rendered the intercourse between the stations easy, safe, and commodious. Adrian visited Britain; and, during his residence in the island, took the most effectual measures for its security, by constructing that famous wall or rampart, which extended frow New Castle to Carlisle.

To protect its inhabitants against the northern marauders, Severus himself came into Britain. This emperor, having repulsed the Caledonians, and repaired the wall of Adrian, died at York. In all the subsequent commotions of the Roman state, Britain had a very considerable share, and several of the commanders, in this distant province, assumed the imperial title and dignity. Constantius Chlorus, after reducing the maritime provinces of Gaul, landed in Britain, and restored the prosperity and peace of the island. Constantius being legally invested with the imperial dignity, resided at York; where, after a long and splendid reign, he died universally lamented. In that city, Constantine his son, was saluted emperor by the army. By his transcendent abilities he obtained the undisputed sovereignty of the whole Roman world; and Divine Providence rendered him the instrument of establishing and extending Christianity. Constantius, who was an enlightened and liberal minded Pagan, had, by the protection of his Christian subjects, rendered Britain an assylum for those of them, who, in the time of the great persecution under Dioclesianus, Maximianus, and Galerius, fled to it for refuge. But Constantius proceeded farther; and, by establishing the Christian religion throughout the whole empire, acquired a lasting celebrity.

A variety of events, similar to those that are recorded in

all political annals, compose the sequel of the history of Britain, while under the dominion of the Romans. The tedious and uninteresting detail of alternate victories and defeats, of revolts and usurpations, of follies and crimes, is incompatible with the plan of this work.

After the reign of Theodosius, a horrid scene of confusion ensued. It would require volumes to particularize the occurrences of this period of carnage and desolation, and to relate the bloody revolutions which incessantly took place in different provinces of the Roman empire, now harassed by the northern barbarians on every part of its extensive frontier, and rapidly hastening to its fall. This general distress of the empire greatly affected Britain, and rendered her own particular calamities more grievous. The northern parts of the country were ravaged by the Picts and Scots, and the inhabitants looked up to the Romans for that protection to which they had always been accustomed; and which, as long as it could be afforded, they never failed to obtain. The last of the Roman generals, in this island, was Gallio Ravennas; who, having vigorously and successfully repulsed the Picts and Scots, and fortified the frontier wall, exhorted the Britons to take proper measures for the defence of their country, and having given them a variety of political and military instructions, he drew off the whole army to the continent. Thus in the reign of Valentinian III. about A. D. 444, the Romans finally evacuated Britain, after having held it in possession nearly 500 years. In this long period, the Romans had greatly improved the island, and civilized its inhabitants. They had introduced letters and science, as well as a great number of mechanical arts, formerly unknown among the natives. The commerce of the island being extended to every part of the empire, had introduced a tolerable share of wealth. Highways were made; woods cut down; and morasses drained. Agriculture was improved, and a variety of vegetable productions introduced; which contributed to the wealth as well as to the comfortable support of the people. The relics of Roman science and

* Before the Romans arrived, nuts, acorns, crabs, and a few wild berries, 6

VOL. VI.

civilization in Britain, although for some time overwhelmed in barbarian desolation, served as the basis of Saxon improvements. The Saxons built their towns on the Roman foundations. The Roman colonies were the ground plots of modern cities.

Britain had severely suffered from the arms of the Romans before she derived any advantage from their arts. Besides the numbers who fell by the sword before the Britons were subdued, multitudes were destroyed in draining the morasses, cutting down the woods, raising highways, and constructing fortifications; at once the instruments, and the badges of their subjection. These evils, however, which, at the first had accompanied the Roman conquest, were in the space of four more centuries forgotten; and its beneficial consequences were present to the eyes and the minds of the Britons; who, in their manners and habits of life, were now become Romans. They felt, indeed, in no small degree, the burthens of taxation for the support of the army as well as for the maintenance of a number of civil officers. But under the auspices of Rome, the commerce and wealth of Britain had increased; and from the expenditure incurred by the support of the legion, the inhabitants derived tranquillity and protection. The British youth were frequently promoted in the legions. Corps of troops, entirely British, were also levied and sent to the continent; while foreign soldiers were, according to the maxims of Roman policy, constantly stationed in Britain. No less than twelve different corps of British infantry and cavalry were dispersed in the distant provinces of the empire, from whence very few ever returned. Great numbers of Britons, also, enrolled themselves, and went abroad under the different commanders who assumed the imperial purple. The consequences of those military emigrations were visibly displayed. The armies successively carried over from Britain to the continent, were sufficient to exhaust the military strength of a populous country. Such also of the Britains as had been train

were originally all the indigenous articles which the woods of Britain produced.