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and other Authors, will easily find what Judgment thatPoet made of the Roman Taste, even in the Person ofhk Sovereign and admir’d Roman Prince, whose naturalLove of amphitheatrical Spectacles and other Entertain-ments (little accommodated to the Interest of the Muses)is there sufficiently insinuated.* The Prince indeed was(as it is said above) obliged in the highest Degree to hispoetical and witty Friends, for guiding his Taste, andforming his Manners, as they really did, with good Ef-fect, and great Advantage to his Interest. Witness whateven that flattering Court Historian, Dion, relates of thefrank Treatment which that Prince received from. hisFriend Mæcenas ; who was sored to draw him from hisbloody Tribunal and murderous Delight, with the Re-proach of, Surge vero tandem , carnifex ! But Horace ac-cording to his Character and Circumstances, was oblig’dto take a finer and more conceal'd Manner, both with;the Prince and Favourite. +

Omne vafer vitium , ridenti Flaccus amicoiSangit, & admijsus circum praecordia ludit .

Perseus Sat. I.

With-

•- — -media inter carmina pofeunt

Aiit ursutn , aut pugiles : bis nam plebecula gaudet.

Verum e quit is quoque | jam migravit ah aure voldptas.

Omnis , ad intertos oculos, &gaudiavana.

Lib. 2. Ep. x.

f We may add what Tacitus or Quintilian remarks, on the Subject ofithe Roman Taste. Jam vero propria 0 ? peculiaria hujus urbis vttia pœneinutero matris eoncipi. mihi videntur , hi f histrinnaUs.far\n^ } ft? eq u r-

rumquestudia : qu ibus oecupatus b obsejsus animus quantulum loci bonis artibuslzelinquit

Dialog, de oratoribus, c. 29.