24 ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS in 



If fuch was the appearance of London at the time of the fe- 

 cond invafion of the ifland by Caesar, which happened fifty- 

 five years before the Chriftian asra, we have certain evidence, 

 that the fouthern Britons had undergone a remarkable change 

 in their mode of life, and made a great progrefs in refinement 

 and civilization in the fpace of 107 years, which elapfed from 

 that time to the great victory gained over the Romans by their 

 Queen Boadicea. At this latter period, Tacitus mentions 

 London as a flourishing town, which, though not dignified 

 with the title of a Roman colony, was a place of trade and 

 y opulence, and a great refort for merchants. " Londinum qui- 



'" dem cognomento colonial non infigne, fed copia negotiatorum 

 " et commeatuum maxime celebre." Antial. lib. 14. cap. 33. 

 The Britons of the fouth had, therefore, profited very greatly 

 by a fhort intercourfe with the Romans ', and this progrefs will 

 appear more remarkable when it is confidered, that, from the 

 time of Cjesar's invafion to the reign of Claudius, during 

 almoft a complete century, there was no Roman army in Bri- 

 tain, nor any ftation or fettlement of that people in the ifland*. 

 The Britons, therefore, had, as yet, enjoyed little more than 

 the fight of apolifhed and improved people. Amidft the tumult 

 of hoftilities, there was no opportunity to imitate the practices or 

 ftudy the accomplifhments of the people by whom they were 

 invaded ; but they faw enough to convince them of their own 

 fignal inferiority in all the arts of cultivated life, and to excite 

 a defire to imitate them in a fubfequent feafon of tranquility. 

 This they obtained by the retreat of the Romans ; and profit- 

 ing to the utmofl by thofe lights they had acquired, they made 

 a more rapid advancement to civilization, than perhaps in any 

 after period of their hiftory. Cities were built, harbours con- 



ftructed 



* Horseley's Britannia Rcmana, p. 19, 20. ; and Tacitus mentions both the fact 

 and its caufe. " Mox bella civiiia et in rempublicam verfa principum arma ac Jcnga 

 " oblivio Britanniae etiam in pace." Vit. Agric. cap. 13. 



