fluence; let every Man fpeak as he pleafes, though there is no Neceffity to believe him; but never did I know you guilty of ought that was mean or dirty. True! Domeftics fometimes ufe to corrupt their Masters; but your Integrity I know, and I wish you could be as free of Sufpicion as you are of Guilt.

MORE am I afraid of this, that mistaking the true Path to Glory, you think it glorious that you alone are more powerful than all befides, and chufe rather to be feared, than beloved by your Country. If thus you think, abfolutely do you mistake the Road to Glory. It is glorious to endear yourself as a Citizen; to perform noble Services to your Country; to be the Object of her Praise, her Veneration, and her Love: But odious, deteftable, weak, and momentary, it is to be the Object of her Fear and Hatred. Even in the Play. we find that the Maxim, Let them hate while they fear, was deftructive to the very Man who faid fo. I wifh, Anthony, you had called to Mind your Grandfather, whom you have heard me fo frequently mention. Doft thou think that he would have purchafed Immortality itself at the Expence of being the dreaded Mafter of licentious Power? This was his Life,

this his Profperity, in Liberty to be equal, in Dignity to be fuperior to others. Therefore, to pass over the profperous Part of your Grandfather's Life, rather would I chufe to be him in all the Agony of his latter End, than to be Cinna the Tyrant, who cruelly put him to Death in all the Infolence of his Power. But why think I to make an Impreffion on you by Words? If the Fate of Cæfar cannot perfuade you to with rather to be loved than feared, nothing can my, or any Man's Word avail or affect. They who imagine that Cafar was happy, are themfelves miferable. No Man is happy who holds his Life on such Terms, as that whoever kills him shall meet not with Impunity only, but immortal Ho

nour.

RELENT therefore, I entreat thee; caft thine Eyes upon thy Ancestors, and fo rule the State, as that thy Countrymen may bless the Day which gave thee Birth. Without this no Man can poffefs either Happiness or Renown. Many are the Inftances which you both have had of the Public Judgment; and it gives me great Concern that they have been fo ineffectual; what elfe could thofe Shouts mean, which at the Shews of Gladiators,

broke

broke from innumerable Multitudes? What the Crowding of the People? What the unbounded Applause poured out on the Statue of Pompey, and upon the two Tribunes who oppofe you? Do thefe but faintly exprefs the incredibly unanimous Wishes of the whole Roman People? How! Did the Applause, let me rather call it the Evidence and the Judgment of the Romans, at the Play of Apollo", appear trifling to you? Happy they, who when armed Force prevented their being perfonally prefent, yet were prefent, and clung to the Heart and the Soul of every Roman! Unless you are to imagine that the Applause and the Palm was bestowed fixty Years after his Death upon Accius, and not upon Brutus; who though abfent indeed in Perfon from his own Shews, yet in that magnificent Entertainment, received the warmest Wishes of the Roman People for his Profperity; thus did they footh their Grief for his Abfence by Shouts of uninterrupted Applause.

It appears from all the Circumstances of the Hiftory of this Period, never was there a more fickle, inconftant, prostitute mercenary Set of Men, than the People of Rome in those Days. One Day we find them burning the Houses of the Slayers of Cafar; another Day paying religious Adoration to his Memory; and in this Paffage we find them all united in applauding the Action and celebrating Brutus as their Deliverer from Tyranny.

h Thefe Plays were exhibited at the Expence of Brutus, who was Prætor, who did not think fit at that Time to be present in Perfon at Rome.

I INDEED am one of those who have ever defpifed the Shouts bestowed on Citizens by the Populace, but when they are bestowed by the highest, the middling, and the lowest Ranks; in fhort, by the whole Body of the People, efpecially when they who used meanly to court popular Favour, were obliged to hide their Heads; this I cannot call Applause, but a juft Approbation. But if thefe Circumstances, which are indeed of the higheft Importance, appear to you but trifling, will ye defpife the Proof which i had how dear the Life of A. Hirtius was you to the People of Rome? It was fufficient to him that he obtained the Approbation of the Roman People which he still retains; that to his Friends he is more than any Man alive agreeable; that to his Family he is dear, even to an Excefs of Paffion; but where, in our Memory, was ever the Concern of the Worthy, and the Apprehenfions of the World, fo much interefted as in him? Surely never. How then, Immortal Gods! are ye at a lofs to interpret these Intimations, or to form a Judgment in what Manner they, to whom the Life of the deserv ing Patriot is fo dear, regard your Lives.

I HAVE

Flirtius was then Conful Elect, and happening to fall fick of

a Fever, the Romans were in great Confternation.

I HAVE now, Fathers Conscript, obtained the End I propofed by my Return, because I have now spoke what in all Events must be a Proof of my Conftancy, and have been heard by you with Favour and Attention. This is an Indulgence, which, if I can without bringing myself and you into Danger, I will often use; otherwise I will, in the best Manner I can, lie by; not fo much to ferve myself as my Country. Enough almost have I lived either for Nature or Glory. If any Additions are made to either, not I, but you and the State fhall reap the Advantage.

THE