OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

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register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes chap.

of mankind. In private life, he was an ami- ___

able, as well as a good man. The native sim-plicity of his virtue was a stranger to vanity oraffectation. He enjoyed, with moderation, theconveniencies of his fortune, and the innocentpleasures of society ;* and the benevolence ofhis soul displayed itself in a cheerful serenity oftemper.

The virtue of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was of Marcus of a severe and more laborious kind. y It wasthe well-earned harvest of many a learned con-ference, of many a patient lecture, and many amidnight lucubration. At the age of twelveyears, he embraced the rigid system of the stoics,which taught him to submit his body to hismind, his passions to his reason; to considervirtue as the only good, vice as the only evil,all things external, as things indifferent . 2 His

x He was fond of the theatre, and not insensible to the charms of thefair sex. Marcus Antoninus , i, 16. Hist. August, p. 20, 21. Julianin Csesar.

* The enemies of Marcus charged him with hypocrisy, and with awant of that simplicity which distinguished Pius, and even Verus (Hist.August. 6-34). This suspicion, unjust as it was, may serve to accountfor the superior applause bestowed upon personal qualifications, inpreference to the social virtues. Even Marcus Antoninus has beencalled a hypocrite, but the wildest scepticism, never insinuated thatCtesar might possibly be a coward, or Tully a fool. Wit and valourare qualifications more easily ascertained than humanity or the love ofjustice.

L Tacitus has characterized in a few words, the principles of theportico: Doctores sapiential! secutus est, qui sola bona quae honesta,mala tantum quae turpia; potentiam, nobilitatem, caeteraqile extra assi.mum, neqne bonis neque malis adnumerant. Tacit. Hist, iv, 5.