50 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



poflefTed, befides, an exclufive title to the trlbnni- 

 tial office, the power of which equalled, nay, fur- 

 paffed, that of the Confuls, the mod perfeft har- 

 mony exifted between the two orders. It is im- 

 poffible to obferve, without emotion, the deference 

 and refped paid by the Plebeians to the Patricians, 

 during the moft glorious periods of the Republic. 

 They felefted their patrons from among that or- 

 der; they attended them in crowds on their way 

 to the Senate : when they happened to be poor, 

 they affeffed themfelves, to make up a marriage 

 portion for their daughters. The Patricians, on 

 the other hand, took an interefl in all the affairs 

 of the Plebeians ; they pleaded their caufes in the 

 Senate ; permitted them to bear their names ; 

 adopted them into their families, and gave them 

 their daughters in marriage, when they diflin- 

 guifhed themfelves by their virtues. Thefe alli- 

 ances with Plebeian families were not difdained 

 even by Emperors. Angujlus gave his only daugh- 

 ter, Julia, in marriage to the Plebeian Agrippa. 

 Virtue fat enthroned at Rome j and no where elfe 

 upon Earth were altars raifed more worthy of her. 

 A judgment of this may be formed from the re- 

 wards affigned to illuftrious actions. A criminal 

 was condemned to be flarved to death in prifon ; 

 his daughter is allowed permiffion to vifit him 

 there, and keeps him alive by the milk from her 

 own breaft. The Senate, informed of this inftance 



of 



