34 J NCI E NT FORTIFICATIONS in 



If fuch was the appearance of London at the time of the fe- 

 cond invafion of the ifland by CiESAR, which happened fifty- 

 five years before the Chriflian sera, we have certain evidence, 

 that the fouthern Britons had undergone a remarkable change 

 in their mode of Hfe, and made a great progrefs in refinement 

 and civiUzation in the fpace of 107 years, which elapfed from 

 that time to the great vidlory gained over the Romans by their 

 Queen Boadicea, At this latter period, Tacitus mentions 

 London as a flouriftiing town, which, though not dignified 

 with the title of a Roman colony, was a place of trade and 

 • opulence, and a great refort for merchants. " Londinum qui- 



" dem cognomento coloniae non infigne, fed copia negotiatorum 

 ^ " et commeatuum maxime celebre." An?2aL lib. 14. cap. 2,2f 



The Britons of the fouth had, therefore, profited very greatly 

 by a fliort intercourfe with the Romans j and this progrefs will 

 appear more remarkable when it is confidered, that, from the 

 time of Cjesar's invafion to the reign of Claudius, during 

 almoft a complete century, there was no Roman army in Bri- 

 tain, nor any ftation or fettlement of that people in the ifland*. 

 The Britons, therefore, had, as yet, enjoyed little more than 

 the fight of apolifhed and improved people. Amidft the tumult 

 of hoflilities, there was no opportunity to imitate the pradices or 

 fludy the accomplifhments of the people by whom they were 

 invaded ; but they faw enough to convince them of their own 

 fignal inferiority in all the arts of cultivated life, and to excite 

 a defire to imitate them in a fubfequent feafon of tranquility. 

 This they obtained by the retreat of the Romans ; and profit- 

 ing to the vitmoft by thofe lights they had acquired, they made 

 a more rapid advancement to civilization, than perhaps in any 

 after period of their hiftory. Cities were built, harbours con- 



fiiruded 



* Horselet's Britanria Romana, p. 19, 20. ; and Tacitus mentions both the faft 

 and its caufe. " Mox btlia civilia et in rempublicam verfa prir.cipum arma ac longa 

 " oblivio Britanniae etiam in pace." Vit. Agxic. cap. 13. 



