STtTDY VIII. 163 



evaporated. But even as it is, it poffefles a de- 

 cided fiiperiority, in refped of pleafantnefs and 

 fublimity of imagery, over the verfes of Lucretius, 

 who appears to haVe borrowed his principal beau- 

 ties from this paflage. And here I difmifs that 

 Poet : the exordium of his performance is a com- 

 plete refutation of it. 



Tliny takes the diredlly oppofite courfe. In the 

 Very threfhold of his Natural Hiftory, he affirms 

 that there is no God, and the whole of that 

 Wor^' is an elaborate demonftration of the being 

 of GOD. His authority muft neceffarily be of 

 confiderable weight, as it is not that of a Poet, to 

 whom opinions are a matter of indifference, pro- 

 vided he can produce a ftriking pidure ; nor that 

 of a fedary, obftinately determined to fupport a 

 party, whatever violence may be done to con- 

 fcience ; nor, finally, that of a flatterer, making 

 his court to vicious Princes. Pliny wrote under 

 the virtuous TituSy and has dedicated his Book to 

 him. He carries to fuch a height, the love of 

 truth, and contempt of the glory of the age in 

 which he lived, as to condemn the vidories of 

 Cejar^ in Rome itfelf, and when addreffing a Ro- 

 man Emperor. He is replete with humanity and 

 virtue. He frequently expofes to cenfure the 

 cruelty of mafters to their flaves, the luxury of the 

 great, nay, the dilTolute condud of feveral Em- 



M 2 preiTes. 



