HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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increased within the short interval just stated, and that the diminution in thenumbers of vessels immediately succeeded it as a natural consequence.

With this reverse of fortune, totally unexpected as it was by Genseric, hissun of glory appears to have sunk beneath the horizon. Majorianus, successorto Avitus, who had been raised to the imperial throne after the death of Petro-nius Maximus, and was deposed by Richimer, after a short reign, which con-tinued only for a few months, appeared to possess all the former courage ofKfs predecessors, the most magnanimous among the Caesars, and he labourednot a little to infuse a due portion of his own spirit into the hearts of thepersons over whom he was chosen to rule. Scarcely was he seated on thethrone, when a squadron of gallies, collected out of the remains of that pow-erful fleet which Genseric once possessed, attempted, by his orders, to effect adescent on the coast of Campania. The troops were not only disembarked,but actually had advanced some way into the country, and, according to theusual custom of armies sent forth from the same quarter, had despoiled orpossessed themselves of every thing that was valuable which came within theirreach. Their triumph, however, was extremely short-lived. The activity ofthe young emperor suffered them not to retire, as many of his predecessors haddone, unmolested, but advancing upon them with rapidity, drove them, withmuch slaughter, and in the utmost confusion, to their vessels, leaving amongthe slain one of their principal chiefs, the brother-in-law to Genseric him-self.

A conduct like the former appeared to forebode the restoration of that dis-cipline, and those successes, which had once caused to be conferred on Romethe high sounding title of mistress of the world. But the legions were tooenervated, their numbers too much diminished, and the shores of Italy tooextensive, to promise any long continuance of peace, or absence of depreda-tions similar to the foregoing, committed by the same marauders, except byadopting the decisive and spirited measure of transferring the seat of war intotheir country. “ Rome (says Mr. Gibbon) expected from him (Majorianus) therestitution of Africa, and the design which he formed of attacking the Vandalsin their new settlements, was the result of a bold and judicious policy. If theintrepid emperor could have infused his own spirit,’ into the youth of Italy, ifhe could have revived in the field of Mars the manly exercises in which he hadalways surpassed his equals, he might have marched against Genseric at thehead of the Roman army. Such a reformation of national manners might be

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