[ '4 ] 



This propenfity to blacken the Ccefars, received, in the parti- 

 cular inftance of Nero, additional height in later times from the 

 enmity of the Chriftians. His cruel perfccution of Chriftianity, 

 and his inordinate wickednefs, in averting upon its votaries the 

 calumny thrown upon himfelf, with the fignal martyrdoms of St. 

 Peter and St. Paul, under his dominion, have ftamped him with 

 the moft fanguinary dye in the annals of religion. It was natural 

 to furmife that the man who fo unjuftly accufed others, had not 

 been unjuftly accufed himfelf. His innocence was fuppofed to 

 include their crimination ; and as the empire became Chriftian, it 

 became in a manner impious to doubt his guilt. 



On whom does the authority of this legend reft .'' As appears 

 to me, on the authority of Suetonius alone. The careful perufer 

 of Tacitus will, I think, agree with me, that he did not believe 

 the tale ; he wrote before Suetonius, and poffeffed earlier and 

 better channels of enquiry. Suetonius was fecretary to Adrian, 

 whofe reign was preceded by the death of Tacitus •. The next 

 author who mentions the charge with confidence is Dio. Caflius, 

 who lived in the reign of Alexander Severus, two hundred years 

 after the event ; no teftimony can go beyond its firft original ; 

 the tribe of fervile copyers add not a jot of weight to the 

 evidence. 



AuRELliTs Victor, Eutropius, Marcus Aurelius Caffiodorus 

 and Jornandes, the only fubfequent Latin writers who repeat the 



clamour, 



* As is generally fuppofed. 



