CHAP. his own conduct, he proceeds in the following XIX. terms: "Was it poffible for the difciple of Plato "and Ariftotle to act otherwife than I have "done? Could I abandon the unhappy fubjects "entrusted to my care? Was I not called upon "to defend them from the repeated injuries of "these unfeeling robbers? A tribune who de"ferts his poft is punished with death, and de"prived of the honours of burial. With what "juftice could I pronounce his sentence, if, in "the hour of danger, I myself neglected a duty “far more facred and far more important? God has placed me in this elevated poft; his pro"vidence will guard and fupport me. Should I "be condemned to fuffer, I fhall derive comfort કર from the teftimony of a pure and upright con, "fcience. Would to heaven that I still poffeffed "a councellor like Salluft! If they think proper "to fend me a fucceffor, I fhall fubmit without "reluctance; and had much rather improve the fhort opportunity of doing good, than enjoy a "long and lasting impunity of evil "0" The precarious and dependent fituation of Julian difplayed his virtues and concealed his defects. The young hero who fupported, in Gaul, the throne of Conftantius, was not permitted to reform the vices of the government; but he had courage to alleviate or to pity the diftrefs of the people. Unless he had been able to revive the martial 80 Ammian. xvii. 3. Julian. Epiftol. xv. edit. Spanheim. Such a conduct almoft juftifies the encomium of Mamertinus. Ita illi anni fpatia divifa funt, ut aut Barbaros domitet, aut civibus jura restituat; perpetuum profeffus, aut contra hoftem, aut contra vitia, certamen. spirit fpirit of the Romans, or to introduce the arts of CHAP. tion of Paris. His falutary influence reftored the cities of DefcripGaul, which had been fo long exposed to the evils of civil difcord, Barbarian war, and domestic tyranny; and the fpirit of industry was revived 'with the hopes of enjoyment. Agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, again flourished under the protection of the laws; and the curia, or civil corporations, were again filled with ufeful and respectable members: the youth were no longer apprehenfive of marriage; and married perfons were no longer apprehenfive of posterity: the public and private feftivals were celebrated with customary pomp; and the frequent 'and fecure intercourse of the provinces difplayed the image of national profperity ". A mind like that of Julian, must have felt the general happiness of which he was the author; but he viewed, with peculiar fatisfaction and complacency, the city of Paris; the feat of his winter refidence, and the object even of his partial affection 92. That fplen did 91 Libanius, Orat. Parental. in Imp. Julian. c. 38. in Fabricius Bibliothee, Græc. tom. vii. p. 263, 264. 92 See Julian, in Mifopogon. p. 340, 341. The primitive state of Paris is illuftrated by Henry Valefius (ad Ammian, xx. 4.), his brother Hadrian Valefius, or de Valois, and M, d'Anville (in their respective XIX. 1 CHA P. did capital, which now embraces an ample territory on either fide of the Seine, was originally confined to the fmall island in the midst of the river, from whence the inhabitants derived a fupply of pure and falubrious water. The river bathed the foot of the walls; and the town was nantly contrafted the effeminate Syrians with the 95 Tny Qiλny AɛuxeTION. Julian. in Milopogon. p. 340. Leucetia, or Lutetia, was the ancient name of the city which, according to the fashion of the fourth century, affumed the territorial appellation of Purifii. moft 237 XIX. moft forgave the intemperance, which was the CHA P. only stain of the Celtic character 94. If Julian could now revifit the capital of France, he might converse with men of fcience and genius, capable of understanding and of inftructing a difciple of the Greeks; he might excufe the lively and graceful follies of a nation, whofe martial spirit has never been enervated by the indulgence of luxury; and he must applaud the perfection of that ineftimable art, which foftens and refines and embellishes the intercourse of social life. 94 Julian. in Misopogon. p. 359, 360, CHAP. XX. Date of the of Con CHAP. XX. The Motives, Progrefs, and Effects of the Converhon of Conftantine.-Legal Eftablishment and Conftitution of the Chriftian or Catholic Church. THE public establishment of Christianity may be confidered as one of those important and domeftic revolutions which excite the most lively curiofity, and afford the most valuable inftruction. The victories and the civil policy of Conftantine no longer influence the ftate of Europe; but a confiderable portion of the globe ftill retains the impreffion which it received from the converfion of that monarch; and the ecclefiaftical institutions of his reign are still connected, by an indiffoluble chain, with the opinions, the paffions, and the interefts of the present genera tion. In the confideration of a fubject which may be converfion examined with impartiality, but cannot be viewed ftantine. with indifference, a difficulty immediately arises of a very unexpected nature; that of ascertaining the real and precife date of the converfion of Conftantine. The eloquent Lactantius, in the midst of his court, feems impatient to proclaim to the world A.D. 306. I 1 The date of the Divine Institutions of Lactantius has been accurately difcuffed, difficulties have been started, folutions proposed, and an expedient imagined of two original editions; the former pub. lished during the perfecution of Diocletian, the latter unde, that of Licinius. See Dufreinoy, Prefat. p, v. Tillemont, Mem. Eccle. |