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THE DECLINE AND FALL
CHAP.
LXX.
of the hospital. From this misery he was re-lieved by the sense of merit or the smile of fa-vour; and the employment of apostolic notaryafforded him a daily stipend of five gold florins,a more honourable and extensive connection,and the right of contrasting, both in words andactions, his own integrity with the vices of thestate. The eloquence of Rienzi was promptand persuasive: the multitude is always proneto envy and censure: he was stimulated by theloss of a brother and the impunity of the assas-sins; nor was it possible to excuse or exaggeratethe public calamities. The blessings of peaceand justice, for which civil society has been in-stituted, were banished from Rome : the jealouscitizens, who might have endured every personalor pecuniary injury, were most deeply woundedin the dishonour of their wives and daughters: 1they were equally oppressed by the arroganceof the nobles and the corruption of the magis-trates; and the abuse of arms or of laws wasthe only circumstance that distinguished thelions from the dogs and serpents of the capitol.These allegorical emblems were variously re-peated in the pictures which Rienzi exhibitedin the streets and churches; and while the spec-tators gazed with curious wonder, the bold andready orator unfolded the meaning, applied thesatire, inflamed their passions, and announceda distant hope of comfort and deliverance. Theprivileges of Rome , her eternal sovereignty overher princes and provinces, was the theme of his