86 



kings called Tarquinii were of Etruscan origin ; a great variety of Etrus- 

 can peculiarities in worship, religion, and government, and other marks 

 of a long continued and powerful influence of Etruscan nationality on 

 the Roman people, are most naturally supposed to date from the period 

 of these Etruscan rulers ; and it is therefore most probable, in my opinion, 

 that the Etruscan conquest of Rome, which cannot be denied, took place 

 at an earlier period than that generally assigned to Porsena, and, in fact, 

 established the rule of the Tarquinii. It is only in keeping with the 

 general character of his Roman annals that a peaceful establishment of 

 Etruscan supremacy should have been foisted upon the willing credulity 

 of those who believed themselves by nature invincible, and conld there- 

 fore not brook the idea, that they or their ancestors had ever been 

 conquered. 



Taking it for granted, then, that the Roman state was founded on 

 conquest, we must expect to see the result and consequences of this 

 origin in the organization of society and the political institutions gene- 

 rally. War and conquest among ancient nations meant something very 

 different from what we are accustomed to associate with these words. 

 Civilization, gentler manners, and a religion of love, have taught modem 

 nations to look upon war as a great evil, and upon their enemies as still 

 their brothers, or at any rate as men and fellow-creatures. Conquests 

 in modem history have not been made for the purpose of reducing the 

 conquered into tax -paying serfs ; and even the Lombards, who groan, as 

 it is termed, under the Austrian dominion, and the Poles, who have 

 been subjected to their three powerful neighbours, are governed by 

 their respective rulers on the same principles as their fellow-subjects in 

 Russia, Austria proper, and Pmssia. There is no right or privilege 

 enjoyed by any Prussian subject from which a native of Posen is 

 excluded on account of his nationality. But it was very different in 

 antiquity. The laws of war made the conquered and all he possessed 

 the property of the conqueror ; slavery of the person, and confiscation 

 of the property of the defeated enemy, were the consequence. No 

 difference was made between private and public property.* However, 

 the absolute right of the victor to destroy his enemy was generally 

 waived for considerations of advantage rather than of mercy. It would 

 have been impoHtic to slay a man who might be useful as a slave, or 

 serf, or subject; and from this consideration arose all the various 

 degrees of inequality among the social ranks of the ancient nations. 



• Modern warfare only seizes upon the latter as a legitimate prey, but it respects the 

 former, with one single exception unfortunately, and one which reflects no honour od 

 England, the establisher of maritime law, — I mean the practice of capturing and con- 

 fiscating private ships in time of war. 



