OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

and the two emperors, who had the most to lose chapor to gain, were the most deeply affected by the Lxvin -national sentiment. In Mahomet, that sentiment A D U5 '/was inflamed by the ardour of his youth and Se P ,e , m **"temper: he amused his leisure with building at April.Adrianople " the lofty palace of Jehan Numa (thewatch-tower of the world); but his seriousthoughts were irrevocably bent on the conquestof the city of Caesar. At the dead of night, aboutthe second watch, he started from his bed, andcommanded the instant attendance of his primevizir. The message, the hour, the prince, andhis own situation, alarmed the guilty conscienceof Calil Basha, who had possessed the confi-dence, and advised the restoration, of Arnurath.

On the accession of the son, the vizir was con-firmed in his office and the appearances of fa-vour; but the veteran statesman was not insen-sible that he trode on a thin and slippery ice,which might break under his footsteps, andplunge him in the abyss. His friendship for theChristians, which might be innocent under thelate reign, had stigmatised him with the name ofGabour Ortachi, or foster-brother of the infidels;*and his avarice entertained a venal and treason-able correspondence, which was detected andpunished after the conclusion of the war. On

“ Canternir, p. 97, 98 The sultan was either doubtful of his con-quest, or ignorant of the superior merits of Constantinople . A city ora kingdom may sometimes be ruined by the imperial fortune of their•overeigu.

* by the president Cousin, is translated pert nourricier,

most correctly indeed from the Latin version \ but in his haste, he ha«overlooked the note by which IsmaelBouillaud (ad Ducam, c. 35)acknowledges and rectifies his own error.