1392.] 
. then, by reading our periodical publica- | 
tions, annual, monthly, and diurnal. In 
Dodfley’s Annual Regifter, continued. for 
1800, I read what follows :— 
«© Whatever may be thought of the po- 
litical expediency of framing fo unlimited 
a government, Certain it is, that the name 
of a King or Emperor alone was wanting 
to Bonaparte. With a fenate appointed 
by himfelf, and recruited, from year to 
year, by his fole influence ; the nomination 
of all offices, civil, political, military, and 
naval; the command and diftribution of 
the whole military and naval force of the 
Empire; the power of foreign negocia- 
tion on péace, wat, and commerce; a 
complete, though indirect, controul over 
the treafury ; the fole privilege of pro- 
pofing laws, and withdrawing them in 
any ftage of deliberation and difcuffion ;— 
. with all thefe and other micans of influ- 
ence and command, pofleffed by the Firk 
Conful, he held in his hand as ttrong, and 
perhaps, from the fhew of liberty, even 
Itronger, reins of government than arly 
Afiatic defpot. The former conftitutions, 
framed finice. 1789, refembled a ‘ftage- 
coach, crowded with pafiengers on the top 
“and box, and holding in their hands both 
the whip and the reins. ‘They were top- 
heavy, and could not but be overturned ; 
‘they were inverted pyramids, trembling 
‘on their fummits, The new conftitution 
bore a refemblance to a pyramid refting 
on its bafe, and culminating into a proper 
apex. It would certainly be difficult to 
overfet this pyramid by external impul- 
fion, Whether it may not be torn in 
- pleces‘by the internal powder of paffion, 
remainsyet to betried. Itis certainly avery 
extraordinary and curiousexperiment. It 
appears to wearcertain prominent features 
both of ancient and modern times. Con- 
fuls, fenates, tribunes, municipalities, and 
other particulars, carry back our views to 
Roman hiftory. Trial by jury and po- 
litical reprefentation belong to modern 
Europe. 
‘But the particular period of the Roman 
Hiftory that the legiflator or legiflators 
appear to have had more efpecially under 
theireye,is thatofAugufusCalar; between 
whole fituation, circumftances, and con- 
duét, and thofe of the French Conful, the 
reader of Hiftory cannot fail to difcover 
feveral ftriking parallels.”” 
‘Here the writer leaves off. I could have 
wifhed that he had illuttrated the proof of his 
propofition by an enumeration of parti- 
culars. This, after revolving the fubjeét 
in my mind, I have attempted mylelf. I 
fubmit the refult of my refle&ions to the 
MontTHLy Mag; No, 92, 
- Parallel between Bonaparte and Auguftus Cafar. | 993 
Editor of the Monthly Magazine, either 
to be publifhed, er fent with other pa- 
pers’ to the cheefemongers, or thrown 
into the fire. 
* In war, Bonaparte has, on many occa- 
fions, exhibited in his conduét the maxims 
and fayings of Julius Cefar. In his po- 
litical conduét, he has, with mature re- 
fiction on his own circumftances, either 
confidered and followed the example of 
Auguftus;> or, a fimilar conduét on 
the part of both has ‘arifen out of a 
fimilarity of fituation’. 
Auguftus Cefar, finding himfelf the 
-fupreme covernor of the Roman -Empire, 
refolved to exert all the clemency of a hu- 
mane fovereign, and the art of-a refined 
politician. His firft care was to gain over 
the adherents of Antony, after which he 
gave {umptuous entertainments to the fe- 
nators and chief magiitrates. He cor- 
re€ted, witit great wifdom, many abufes 
in the ftate, banifhed corruption from the 
fenate, and allowed the people all reafon- 
able and decent liberties :—fo that the lat- 
ter was not lefs free, except in matters of 
fedition; nor the former lefs powerful, 
except in matters of injuftice. Having 
fettled all things in the moft excellent or- 
der, he revolved in his mind a great vayi-~ 
ety. of reflections, and deliberated, whe- 
ther he fhould continue himfelf at the 
head of the empire, or reftore the people 
to their ancient liberty. The example 
of Syila and Julius Czfar, though vety 
different, made an equal impreffion upoi’ 
him in favour of the laft idea. He confi. 
dered that Sylla, who had made a volun- 
tary refignation of the diétatorfhip, died 
peaceably: in the midft of his enemies ; 
and that Caefar, by retaining that dignity, 
had been affaffinated by his former friends, 
who, fo far from blufhing, gloried in the 
deed. | 
Auguftus, during this flu€tuation of 
mind, confulted Mzcenas and Agrippa, 
his principal friends and confidants. 
Agrippa, to whofe valour he was greatly 
indebted for his empire, advifed him to 
reign it: but Mzcenas was of an oppo- 
fite opinion; he affured him, that it 
would be impoffible for the fenate to fub- 
fit but under a monarch; and this opi-~ 
nion he enforced by many reafons, ob- 
ferving particularly, that he could not re# 
fign his authority without endangering his 
life ; but that, on the contrary, both his 
perfon and power would be fecure under a 
wife and equitable adminiftration. 
The advice of Maecenas prevailed. But, 
though Auguftus ftill continued the fu- 
preme power in his own hand, he yee 
i made 
