JULIUS CAESAR. 187 



Caesar, when addressing an assembly. We are able in great 

 part to complete the picture of his outward lineaments 

 from busts, coins, and actual description ; all which indicate, 

 as far as mere outline can ever do so, the high intellect 

 and masculine vigour of mind belonging to this wonderful 

 character.* 



We have, we hope, shown that we are disposed to augur 

 well of Mr. Merivale's large and bold undertaking. We shall 

 look with interest to his next volumes, as the history of 

 that subtle Sovereign who, under the specious show of old 

 names and forms, succeeded in giving to a disputed and 

 divided power all the unity and integrity of an ancient 

 monarchy. The character of Augustus, in his successive 

 capacities of Triumvir and Emperor, has ever been counted an 

 historical problem ; and with every allowance for the frailty 

 and changes of our nature, it still is not easy to reconcile all 

 the incongruities which the acts of his life bring before us. 

 Beyond this period, our author will acquire the aid of Tacitus 

 to his labours; an authority and a guide not less ad- 

 mirable than is Thucydides to the historian of Greece ; 

 both possessing qualities which may well serve as instruction 

 to those writing history in all time to come. Without 



tanquam tabulas bene pictas collocare in bono himine. * * * * Splendidam 

 quendam, minim eque veteratoriam rationem dicendi tenet, voce, motu, formd 

 etiam magnified et generosa quodammodo.' Cicero de Claris Oratoribus. 



' Quern huic antepones eorum, qui nihil aliud egerunt ? qiiis sententiis aut 

 acutior aut crebrior? quis verbis aut ornatior aut elegantior?' Ibid. 



' Caius vero Csesar si foro tantum vacasset, non alius ex nostris contra 

 Ciceronem nominaretur ; tanta in eo vis est, id acumen, ea concitatio, ut ilium 

 eodem animo dixisse, quo bellavit, appareat.' Quintilian, lib. 10. 



It is obvious that Quintilian would not* thus have expressed himself, unless 

 some at least of Caesar's speeches had been extant in his time. 



* It is satisfactory to me to find in the great work of Mommsen on Eoman 

 History, recently published (EomiscJie Greschichte, 1857), an entire concurrence 

 of opinion in all that relates to Caesar's character and career; and a like agree- 

 ment in the estimate of his great rivals and contemporaries. 



