OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

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Romans. But this judicious plan of defence chap.was disconcerted by a skilful diversion. Threehundred light-armed and active soldiers weredetached in forty small boats, to fall down thestream in silence, and to land at some distancefrom the posts of the enemy. They executedtheir orders with so much boldness and cele-rity, that they had almost surprised the barba-rian chiefs, who returned in the fearless confi-dence of intoxication from one of their nocturnalfestivals. Without repeating the uniform anddisgusting tale of slaughter and devastation, itis sufficient to observe, that Julian dictated hisown conditions of peace to six of the haughtiestkings of the Alemanni , three of whom werepermitted to view the severe discipline andmartial pomp of a Roman camp. Followedby twenty thousand captives, whom he hadrescued from the chains of the barbarians, theCa:sar repas'sed the Rhine , after terminating awar, the success of which has been comparedto the ancient glories of the Punic and Cimbricvictories.

As soon as the valour and conduct of Julian Restore*had secured an interval of peace, he applied oflsaui**himself to a work more congenial to his hu-mane and philosophic temper. The cities ofGaul, which had suffered from the inroads ofthe barbarians, he diligently repaired; and se-ven important posts, between Mentz and themouth of the Rhine , are particularly mentioned,as having been rebuilt and fortified by the order