'222 



CUSTOMS AND MANNERS. 



sloth. For the rural and domestic labours, they tore from 

 their fire-sides and household gods, the Nubians, Egyptians, 

 and Abyssinians. The martial laws, the right of conquest, 

 and the example of other nations, gave a legitimacy to this 

 description of tyranny. 



" The enervation of the Romans was infused, in an imme- 

 diate way, into their wives ; and they contributed to augment 

 and perpetuate it. The Portias, Cornelias, and Lucretias, 

 highly gratified at being relieved from their domestic duties by 

 the African female slaves who surrounded them, laid aside the 

 needle, and the spindle, delivering themselves up to vanity, 

 and finally concentrating all their delight in the intrigues of 

 Cupid. They were in need of secret agents and confidants ; 

 and for this purpose made choice of their bondwomen. The 

 latter, constitutionally degenerate, and less conspicuous on 

 account of the parity of colour, were better calculated to go 

 abroad, to maintain an epistolary correspondence, and to pro- 

 mote a furtive introdu6lion. Insensibly, those v/ho had be- 

 fore served them in the meanest capacities, found themselves 

 the depositaries of the confidence of their ladies. 



*' On another hand, these same Roman women, at whose 

 breasts had been nurtured those who in the sequel gave laws 

 to the whole world, viewed with disdain the noble occupation 

 of suckling and rearing their infants. They confided this trust 

 to the female slave, who saw hanging at her neck him who 

 was destined to be one day her lord. 



'* Behold thus the monstrous Egyptian women at one and 

 the same time the sovereign disposers of the life of those to whom 

 they appertained, and of the honour of their mistresses. 

 Elated by this double motive, they emulated the Roman fe- 

 males 



