606 
‘of Tarquin. He doubts also, whether it 
was probable for the reigns of the seven 
kings of Rome, to have occupied a 
period of two hundred and -forty-four 
years; he doubts whether it be possible 
that a body of shepherds, insolvent 
debtors, and banditti, should have so 
suddenly become a great and flourishing 
nation, as to have required a port, anda 
maritime’ town, during the time of its 
fourth king, while its fifth monarch should 
have been able to signalize his reign by 
works worthy of the most flourishing na- 
tions. 
It is his opinion, that the foundation of 
Rome was earlier than has been generally 
supposed, “and that, according to the 
course of nature, it must have been ori- 
ginally feeble, amidst other feeble states, 
not surrounded by nations already for 
midabie, and indebted for its increase to 
its devouring those tribes, one by one, 
which were able to oppose to it the least 
resistance.” 
He is moreover of opinion, that nations 
in this origin, feel the necessity of adopt- 
ing a monarchical, rather than a repub- 
hcan form of government, and that this 
is the species of rule also, to which they 
recur, after long strife, and a series of 
civil wars. But on the other hand, al- 
though in the east, “in the old age of 
mations,” the people submit to despotism, | 
this never uccurs, according to him, te “a 
young nation.” For if, in the infancy of 
society acountry 1s destitute of laws,yet it 
is neither wished nor allowed that the will 
of the king should be the only law, and 
he is not permitted to decide, but ac- 
cording to the opinion of men advanced 
in age, and respected for their wisdom, 
"A senate therefore constantly imter- 
venes, and there was one in all the little 
_ kingdoms into which Greece was divided 
during the heroic ages: even those na- 
tions, bordering on the savage state, form 
a kind of council out of their old men.” 
“ By means of its king,” says M. Le- 
vesque, “the government of the homans 
was monarchical; it was aristocratical 
hy means of its. senate, and democratical 
hy the intervention of thepeople, in those 
affairs which terested the whole nation. 
It was the people who decided on peace 
and war, but they only enjoyed the ex- 
ercise of that prerogative by means of a 
legal convocation, and through the ini- 
tiative of the senate.” 
*¢ By a very politic institution,” adds 
he, “ the honour of which has been attri- 
bated to Romulus, and which at least 
Retrospect of French Literature— History. 
reaches as high as the times of the kings, 
it was prohibited either to kill orsell a 
captive who had attained the age of 
puberty, in any conquered city. They 
were admitted into Rome, became its 
citizens, and she In return transmitted a 
colony, which rendered the new acquisi- 
tion completely Roman. This was one 
of the principal causes of her aggran- 
dizement. 
“The Spartans, on the contrary, by 
way of punishment for tneit pride, which 
would not permit them to communicate 
to any one the right of citizenship, be- 
held the number of their citizens dimi- 
nish daily, so that in consequence of 
having lost only four hundred of them 
at the batle of Leuctrz, they were ever 
after unable to hold up their heads, and 
soon lost all their former preponderance. 
Rome, on the other hand, continued to 
procure as many citizens as the power she) 
had conquered, contained freemen, and 
the vanquished nation immediately be- 
coming Roman, took a patriotic interest 
in her prosperity, which produced new 
conquests. - 
‘“*The Romans, however, did not ex~ 
hibit the same sagacity, when they consi- 
dered sedentary occupations unworthy of 
them. A Roman could not honourably 
bestow his attention on any other pur- 
suits, than arms and agriculture. 
“ Athens, which knew how to esteem 
every branch ofindustry, joined the glory 
of the arts, to its other titles of glory ; or 
rather, perhaps, it stands indebted to its 
success in letters and the arts for its 
greatest degree of renown. The Spartans - 
would have considered themselves as 
disgraced, if they had stooped to the la- 
bours of agriculture. In consequence of 
this error, they remained barbarous in 
the midst of civilized Greece, and al- 
though they dedicated themselves to the 
study of arms alone, yet they were un- 
able ever to comprehend the art of be- 
sieging strong places.” 
The second period, comprehends the 
histery of the Roman republic, until the 
institution of the tribunes ef the people. 
We are here told, that it was the ‘patri- 
cians, not the democratic body, that 
brought about the revolution, and gave a 
new form to the government. ‘The con- 
sequence of this change, was no other 
than to see the perpetual power of the 
kings become annual, under the consuls: 
in short, “the government still continued 
monarchical, and the consuls, like the 
kings, wore the robe embroidered with 
purple, 
