1 88 ESS AT upon the PRINCIPLES 



' graviore odio, quia malorum facinorum miniftri quafi ex- 



1 probrantes afpiciuntur *." 



SUCH flriking and deep remarks feem to fpring fpontaneoufly 

 from the mind of TACITUS. They are, for mofl part, made 

 without any feeming effort, and without oftentation. Though' 

 replete with inflruction to the moft intelligent reader, yet they 

 often teach without mortifying him, and excite no difguft at 

 the hiflorian's arrogance. 



THE judgment of TACITUS is remarkable, not only in thofe 

 fingle flrokes, by which he unexpectedly, and at once, unfolds 

 fomething not underflood, but alfo when he warns his reader 

 that he is to do fo, and folicits his attention. In his defcriptions 

 of character, there is none of that fpurious fubtilty which ba- 

 lances circumftances not duly oppofed. Every antithefis ftatcd 

 has its foundation in nature, and befpeaks that folid acutenefs 

 which is above affectation. Of this, the character drawn of 

 GALBA, in the 49th chapter of the ifl book of the Hiftory, 

 furnifhes one out of many inftances. " Hunc exitum habuit 

 " SERGIUS GALBA tribus et feptuaginta annis, quinque prin- 

 " cipes profpera fortuna emenfus, et alieno imperio felicior, 



' quam fuo. Vetus in familia nobilitas, magna? opes : ipfi- 

 " medium ingenium, magis extra vitia quam cum virtutibus. 

 " Famae nee incuriofus, nee venditator. Pecuniae alienaz non 

 " appetens, fuae parcus, publican avarus. Amicorum liberto- 

 " rumque, ubi in bonos incidiffet, fine reprehenfione patiens : 

 " fi mali forent, ufque ad culpam ignarus. Sed claritas nata- 

 " Hum, et metus temporum fuit obtentui, ut quod fegnitia 

 " erat, fapientia vocaretur. Dum vigebat astas, militari laude- 

 *' apud Germanias floruit. Proconful Africam moderate : jam 

 " fenior, citeriorem Hifpaniam pari juflitia continuit: major 

 " private vifus, dum privatus fuit, et omnium confenfu capax 

 " imperii, nifi imperaffet." 



FROM 



* Ann. lib> 14. cap. 62- 



