67% 
approximated its ruin, it received ni its 
‘very cradle the germs of all those vces, 
and that corruption which bring o1 the 
‘yoin of empires. Patriotism, simpleity 
‘of manners, the love of liberty, a pasion 
for war, and all those virtues wich 
“elevated Rome to the climax of gan- 
deur, had long disappeared from the 
earth; while selfishness, pomp, pussilani- 
mity, and a spirit at once haughtyand 
‘servile, formed the principal features of 
the character of those citizens whocon- 
‘constituted the empire. Trom thevery 
first too, this New Rome was attackd on 
‘all sides, by enemies much more nme- 
rous, and infinitely more valiant, han 
‘the forces opposed by her to them the 
‘Goths, the Slavi, the Huns, and narly 
‘all the nations which overwhelmecEu- 
rope during the grand migration, assiled 
her in their turn; the Persians, the ara- 
cens, and the other conquerors of «sia, 
afterwards commenced a long as wil as 
uninterrupted attack; while so farrom 
‘enjoying that degree of tranquillity ith 
in, which would have permitted hr to 
apply herself entirely to defence aginst 
such formidable enemies, the ewire 
was torn asunder by political facbns; 
and theological disputes still morebit- 
ter .han the former. 
To these the chief men in the ate, 
the grandees, and in fine all classes'c the 
community, resigned themselves wiiout 
reserve, while they entirely forgot tose 
‘external disorders which menacedhieir 
common conntry. It frequently ap- 
peved that the intrigues of the courtand 
the ambition and avarice of afew 
eunuchs, bronght Constantinople self 
to the very brink of destruction: notith- 
standing this, the empire still supped 
itself, during more than a thousand yars, 
Nothing is the effect of chance, for lere 
every where exists a series of causeand 
effects, which produce those ets 
which we denominate history. _Itte- 
quently happens indeed that they enpe 
our enquiries, but it appertains tcthe 
historian to withdraw the veil that crers 
them; and M. Engelstoft in. his desip- 
tion of the military state.of Byzanum 
during “the time of Justinian Khas 
thrown great light on a phenomen, 
which at the-first aspect/appears the 
almost inconceivable. He; in. comon 
with all Europe, has been struck witthe 
sudden and repeated capture. of theupi- 
tals of the most flourishing empiresand 
he conceived that an analysis, of bis 
reign, during which Constantinopleself 
was besieged, although, the arms othe 
emperor were victorious,in, Asia, Afpay 
5 
‘Retrospect of Fiench Literature—History. 
/ 
and Italy, might contribute greatly to ek- 
‘plain these events. Here follows an 
outline of his works, which, in addition 
to a profound inquiry into the ordinary 
sources of intelligence, presents many 
excellent remarks, inferences, and dé- 
ductions. ; 
The Danube, for a long time, consti- 
tuted the grand barrier between tlie 
Roman empire and the barbarous ma- 
tions. The Dacians and the Geta, 
known also by the general name of the’ 
Sarmatians, inhabited the left bank, and 
made frequent irruptions into Thrace, 
Meesia, and Illyria, Augustus was coti- 
tent to oppose legions and strong for- 
tresses on the right bank, to these; but 
Trajan actually crossed the river, forcetl 
the barbarians to retire towards the 
‘north, and thus established a Roman 
province beyond the Danube. This for 
«a time ensured tranguillity to the pos- 
sessions on the right side; but notwith> 
standing that, several of the northern 
nations, and among these the Vandals 
and Goths, at length advanced towards 
the Danube, and forced the emperor 
Aurelian, in the year 274, ouce more to 
confine the dominions of Rome to 
the ‘provinces situate. on the sovth 
side of the river. But even then thé 
provinces near to the Danube, enjoyed, 
for almost a century, a considerable des 
gree of tranquillity, because the barba- 
rous nations happened, at that periud, to 
make war on each other, At length, in 
369, the Huns, having arrived from thé 
heart of Asia, forced the Goths to cross 
over to the right bank'of the Danube; 
all the provinces, from the Bosphorus to 
the Julian Alps, were then by turns'a 
prey to these horrible invasions; and 
even after the dissolution of the mo- 
narchy of the Huns, the Lombards and 
the Gepidz, who replaced them, ren 
dered this portion of the empire equally 
unquiet. 
Such was the situation of affairs when 
Justinian I, assumed the reins of govern= 
ment; and the reign ‘of this emperor, 
proved_a fantastical mixture of the most 
brilliant success, and the most humilia- 
tiny defeats. een 
by. new nations (A.D. 454,) to retire to 
the borders of the Evxine Sea and the 
Palus’ ‘Maotis;. the: Qstrogoths; ppss 
sessed Pannonia (Upper Hungary) 3 and 
the, Gepida, and the Dacians,. the 
country to the west (Transylyania),, At 
lengthy, about the year 489, the Gepidae 
possessed | themselves.of botb countries; 
whence they were however chaced, 
A.D, 565, by, the Lombarcs,, who, in 
their 
The Huns had been forced . 
