242 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
supposed authority of Richard of Cirencester, now proved to be a 
forgery, were discussed. 
Postponing to some other occasion a consideration of the many 
evidences scattered throughout the county of the influence which 
the Romans exercised upon the manners, customs, and social life 
of the people with which they were brought into close relations 
after the time of Vespasian, the lecturer concluded : " The Eoman's 
principal business in these parts was to obtain metal, and as long 
as he was able to do this, and take away what he obtained to his 
ships without interruption, he was satisfied. On the other hand, if 
the people were not interfered with, if they were allowed to pursue 
their own way ; and above all, if they were not in perpetual fear 
of their antient enemy, then kept down by the iron hand of mighty 
Rome, they were satisfied. The British roads improved by the 
Roman, the art of mining developed, trade encouraged, and the 
refinements of Latin civilization gradually introduced, the 
Dumnonii, unconquered by Rome, regretted the loss of her protec- 
tion for other reasons than those of the weak and wretched 
northerners, who suffered themselves to be dragged from the walls 
their conquerors had built, and which they were not able even to 
defend. And then slowly but surely came the Englishman. Every 
inch of ground gained only after resistance the most stubborn, and 
when at last the victory was won, a cruel use was made of it. It 
is evident that in almost every case where we have any traces of 
the struggle that the destruction was of the most determined 
kind, and frequently by fire. Why was it that the dwellings of 
the Roman and of the Roman Briton were so ruthlessly destroyed 1 ? 
The villas of the Roman, and of those who dwelt at peace with 
him, were the abodes of an amount of refinement to which the 
Englishman was an utter stranger. He was a warrior, and a man 
constantly on the move. He succeeded in winning battles in the 
field, and the walled towns then became fortresses against him, 
and all his energies were therefore devoted to their destruction. 
Having succeeded, sooner or later, after a hard struggle in obtaining 
an entrance, the inhabitants were slaughtered, and as far as possible 
all buildings rased to the ground — lofty structures, towers, temples, 
and basilicas, all were thrown down, and the portions which could 
not be absolutely destroyed, such as thick walls of brick and stone, 
of which we have examples remaining at Richborough and else- 
where, were rendered useless for their original purpose by extensive 
