OF THE UNIVERSE. 11OMAX EMPIRE. 183 



peared in Greece and Asia Minor. As in all unlimited 

 monarchies of enormous extent, and composed of hetero- 

 geneous elements, the efforts of the government were prin- 

 cipally directed to avert by military force, and by the internal 

 rivalries of a divided administration, impending dismem 

 berment and dissolution to conceal family discords in the 

 house of the Caesars by alternate mildness and severity, 

 and, under a few nobler rulers, to give to the nations be- 

 neath their sway the repose which unresisted despotism 

 can at times afford. 



The attainment of the Roman universal empire was itself 

 a fruit of the greatness of the Roman character, of a long 

 preserved severity of manners, and of an exclusive love of 

 country, united with high individual feeling ; but after this 

 universal empire was attained, these noble qualities became 

 gradually weakened, and were perverted even by the inevi- 

 table influences which new circumstances called forth. As 

 the national spirit became extinct, the same deadening effect 

 extended to individual life ; publicity and individuality, 

 the two cliief supports of free institutions, disappeared 

 at the same time. The eternal city had become the 

 centre of too great a circle ; the spirit which could per- 

 manently animate a body so vast, and composed of so 

 many members, was wanting. Christianity became the 

 religion of the state when the empire was already shaken 

 to its foundations ; and the mildness of the new doctrine, 

 and its beneficent influences, were soon disturbed by the 

 dogmatic strife of parties. Then also began the " unfor- 

 tunate contest between knowledge and faith," which, under 

 various forms, all tending to impede investigation, has been 

 continued through succeeding centuries. 



