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adion, even the moft trifling, is marked by the defire of Ihining, 

 and obtaining precedence, and confideration, beyond its real value. 

 An artificial and overftrained politenefs, finery beyond the circum- 

 ftances of the perfon, a folicitude to excel in ufelefs and frivolous 

 accomplifliments, importance attached to trifles, an artful conceal- 

 ment of the real fentiments, a fpirit of emulation and envy, a 

 habit of crouching to fuperiors, and treating inferiors with civil 

 infolence. — The confequence of all this muft be to deteriorate the 

 mind, and to caufe the prevalence of mean ideas. — When the li- 

 berty of Rome was extinguiftied, and eunuchs governed the mailers 

 of the world, the mighty Roman genius was emafculated — general 

 morality was relaxed, by the example of a corrupt and frivolous 

 court. — Tafte was deftroyed and eloquence expired, while the 

 public mind was degraded and enfeebled, by the prefigure of a 

 weakly ferocious, and idly fanguinary governmeat. — The frigid 

 aftedation oi Seneca, the falfe and tinfel glitter, and the wearifome 

 Antithefis of the younger Pliny fucceeded -, until the fun of Roman 

 .literature fet, in the barbarous jargon of the Auguftan hiftorians, 

 and the Moorifh idioms, and impure fables, of the romancer Jpu- 

 leita. — A Claudian appeared, it is true, but this was only a purple 

 gleam in the weft, a luminous difplay of tranfient glory, announc- 

 ing the departure, and caufing men the more to regret the abfence 

 of the illuftrious orb of day. If fuch is the neceffary influence of 

 a defpotic and luxurious court on tafte and literature, what muft 

 be the fituation of tafte and literature, \n Germany, which abound?, 

 Vol. VIII. (H) nay 



