ON THE NATIONAL CHARACTER OF THE ROMANS. 201 



admired on the one hand and detested upon the other, by the Ro- 

 man people. 



If, for example, the wholy story of Mutius Sceevola's visit to the 

 tent of Porsenna were admitted to be a fiction, still it would, at all 

 events, be certain that, at Rome, an exploit of such a character, 

 whether it were in reality deserving of praise or not, would, at the 

 time it was invented, have met with the highest applause. If the 

 escape of Clcelia at the head of the female hostages and the honour- 

 able conduct of the consul Lartius in compelling them to return 

 had no existence in truth, still there can be no doubt but that the 

 Romans, at the period wben this became a part of their history, 

 were of a character to admire at once the dashing courage of the 

 heroine, and the high-toned probity of the public officer. 



The story, also, of Camillus, and of the treatment he bestowed 

 upon the felon school-master of the Falisci, is another exquisitely 

 beautiful trait in the national character and — finding, as we do, so 

 little to admire — one upon which it is delightful to repose. It may 

 be more or less established, for nothing, we are told, before the de- 

 struction of the archives in the Gallic war, is perfectly authentic. 

 But the very fact of its being related in the way we find it, is 

 sufficient to prove that, in those primitive ages, the republics of 

 ancient Italy had a high notion of honour and a just estimate of 

 what is truly noble. 



At the same time, do not let us adopt a too elevated opinion of 

 their ordinary conduct. It does not follow that all their actions 

 were equally virtuous and noble, because, on this single occasion, 

 they bestowed their unqualified praise on the behaviour of Camillus. 

 Let us take the evidence thus afforded us exactly for what it is 

 worth, and nothing more. It shows, indeed, that they were able 

 to appreciate a virtuous action, and that is something — nay, a good 

 deal — but it does not follow that the heroic conduct of Camillus was 

 an average example, any more than that of the culprit school-mas- 

 ter. If, indeed, it had, Camillus himself would not have been so 

 speedily banished by his ungrateful countrymen. 



Another anecdote of ancient days may, perhaps, illustrate, in 

 some slight degree, this matter, and it may be related here, although 

 to many readers it is doubtless familiar. Once, upon a time, we 

 are told, when the Greeks were assembled at the celebration of the 

 Olympic Games, and when the visitors from all the various states 

 were seated in their proper places, there entered a venerable old 

 man, who could not find a seat and who walked forward for some 

 time, vainly seeking a bench upon which to rest himself. At 

 vol. VIII., no. xxni. 26 



