478 THE EMPIRE. 



of all religions, came before a judge of a foreign race, 

 who sat high above their schisms and dissensions, who 

 looked down upon them all with impartial contempt, 

 and who reverenced the law which was entrusted, to 

 his care. But the provinces were forced to support 

 not only a court but a city. As London is the market 

 of England, to which the best of all things find their 

 way, so Rome was the market of the Mediterranean 

 world ; but there was this difference between the two, 

 that in Rome the articles were not paid for. Money, 

 indeed, might be given, but it was money which had 

 not been earned, and which therefore would come to 

 its end at last. Rome lived upon its principal till ruin 

 stared it in the face. Industry is the only true source 

 of wealth, and there was no industry in Rome. By day 

 the Ostia road was crowded with carts and muleteers, 

 carrying to the great city the silks and spices of the 

 East, the marble of Asia Minor, the timber of the 

 Atlas, the grain of Africa and Egypt ; and the carts 

 brought nothing out but loads of dung. That was 

 their return cargo. London turns dirt into gold. 

 Rome turned gold into dirt. And how, it may be 

 asked, was the money spent ? The answer is not 

 difficult to give. Rome kept open house. It gave a 

 dinner party every day ; the emperor and his favourites 

 dined upon nightingales and flamingo tongues, on 

 oysters from Britain, and on fishes from the Black 

 Sea ; the guards received their rations ; and bacon, 

 wine, oil, and loaves were served out gratis to the 

 people. Sometimes entertainments were given in 

 which a collection of animals as costly as that in 

 Regent's Park was killed for the amusement of the 

 people. Constantine transferred the capital to Con- 

 stantinople ; and now two dinners were given every 



