846 ADVANCKMENT OV LEAHNINO. [bOOK VIII. 



a great reputation in other respects, as may be clearly seen 

 in the Spaniard, who has now, for a long siiccession of years, 

 kept a standing army, though not always in the same part 

 of the country. 



The dominion of the sea is an epitome of monarchy. Ci- 

 cero, in a letter to Atticus, writing ot Pompey's preparation 

 against Caesar, says, the designs of Pompey are like those of 

 Themistocles ; for he thinks they who command the sea 

 command the empire.^ And doubtless Pompey would have 

 wearied Caesar out, and brought him under, had he not, 

 through a vain confidence, abandoned his design. It is plain, 

 from many examples, of how great consequence sea-tights 

 are. The fight at Actium decided the empire of the world; 

 the fight of Lepanto struck a hook in the nose of the Turk ; 

 and it has frequently happened that victories or defeats at 

 sea have put a final end to the war, that is, when the whole 

 fortune of it has been committed to them. Doubtless the being 

 master of the sea leaves a nation at great liberty to act, and 

 to take as much or as little of the war as it pleases, whilst 

 those who are superior in land forces have yet numerous 

 difficulties to struggle with. And at present, amongst the 

 European nations, a naval strength, which is the portion of 

 Great Britain, is more than ever of the greatest importance 

 to sovereignty, as well because most of the kingdoms of 

 Europe are not continents, but in good measure surrounded 

 by the sea, as because the treasures of both Indies seem but 

 an accessory to the dominion of the seas. 



The wars of later times seem to have been waged in the 

 dark, compared with the variety of glory and honour usually 

 reflected upon the military men of former ages. It is true, 

 we have at this day certain military honours designed per- 

 haps as incentives to courage, though common to men of the 

 gown as well as the sword ; we have also some coats of arms 

 and public hospitals, for soldiers worn out and disabled in 

 the service; but among the ancients, when a victory was 

 obtained, there were trophies, funeral orations, and magni- 

 ficent monuments for such as died in the wars. Civic crowns 

 and military garlands were bestowed upon all the soldiers. 

 The very name of emperor was afterwards borrowed by the 

 ^eatest kings from leaders in the wars ; they had solemn 

 * B. 10, op. 8, 



