ON THE NATIONAL CHARACTER OP THE ROMANS. 205 



highly in favour of both parties — was brought to an amicable ar- 

 rangement, and an incorporation took place between the new peo- 

 ple, and a considerable accession of their Sabine connexions. The 

 fortune of Romulus again prevailed, and he became sole king over 

 the united nation. The fruits of his many and successful wars 

 were matured by the long and peaceful reign of Numa, a sovereign 

 of the most consummate address and wisdom. 



The effect of this prince's reign of forty peaceable years, was the 

 firm establishment of a system of laws and customs, in which Reli- 

 gion — it is true of a superstitious character, but still one which ex- 

 erted an amazing influence on the minds of the people — took a 

 deep root in the still youthful state. It continued for a very ex- 

 tended period to exercise an almost absolute sway over the national 

 character. Of this we have an example in Lucius Albinus, who, 

 during his hasty flight from Rome, on the advance of the victorious 

 Gauls, actually turned his own family and goods out of his carts, 

 in order to take in the vestal virgins with the utensils employed in 

 the sacred offices of religion. Albinus conveyed them in safety to a 

 city called Crere, and from the circumstance of their continuing their 

 religious customs in exile was derived, as we are taught to believe, 

 the word " ceremony," so frequently used in every nation. 



A succession of warlike kings extended the territory of Rome, 

 whilst a military system amalgamated itself with the national super- 

 stition ; but in a proportion, we may observe, much better fitted for 

 practical and social purposes than that which afterwards lent so 

 much force to the Saracen dynasty, under the Mahometan impos- 

 ture. Proceeding gradually to the conquest of Italy, all the other 

 tribes by which that peninsula was occupied merged at length in 

 the name and designation of " Roman." It is remarkable that all 

 the great masters of Poetry and Eloquence, in the Latin language, 

 with the single exception of Julius Caesar, were sprung from some 

 other state or tribe than that of Rome : yet so exclusively Roman is 

 the whole spirit of their literature that there is scarcely a vestige of 

 the history of any one of the other states, excepting as it is reflected 

 by that of Rome. The earlier glories, even of Etruria — a wealthy 

 nation, and one which vied with Greece in the arts, even in her 

 golden days — is entirely lost, and every thing in the language of 

 Italy is Roman. 



The gradual incorporation of state after state continued, until 

 Italy was one united whole : and as long as there was a pressure 

 from without — as long as Rome had enemies to contend with of 

 Sufficient force and power to stimulate her national spirit of patriot- 

 ism — so long Bhe was at peace within her own bosom — so long she 



