2 hundred new fenators, whom he chofe from the most dif-. tinguished of the Plebeian families. The Grecian magnificence and elegance began now to be introduced into Rome. The works which Tarquin erected became the admiration of after ages, and remain to this day monuments of the Roman grandeur. "Already," fays a celebrated philofopher*, "they began to lay the foundation "of that city which was to be eternal." On the death of Tarquin, Servius Tullius, his fon-in-law, fucceeded to the throne. In confequence of early customs, which the Romans had adopted from neceffity, the inhabitants. of Rome increased at the end of every war. It became requifite, therefore, to enlarge the boundaries of the city, and Servius Tullius extended the Pomeria from the Quirinal Mount to the Viminal and Efquiline Hills. 1 As it was now neceflary to enlarge the city, it was no less requifite to alter the form of government. The changes which he introduced deferve to be ftudied, as they proved the fource of the diffenfions in the republic, and prepared the way for the revolutions of Rome. Since the period that the Albans and Sabines were established at Rome, the tribes formed three nations, which had equally a fhare in the government. Every Curia voted in the public affemblies, and every citizen in the Curia. Hence the law was the voice of the majority, and the fovereign power refided in the people. At first the foldiers of Romulus were equal in point of property. Two acres of land had been allotted to each individual; and while there was an equality of fortune, there was an equality of power in the community. A part of the Roman territory had been referved for the public domain. The Romans were continually making new conquefts. By incroachments upon the public domain, and a larger divifion of the conquered lands to fome than to others, an inequality of fortune was established, and a diftinction of ranks took place. To clafs the inhabitants according to their wealth, Servius inftituted the Cenfus. At the firft numbering of the nation, twenty-four thousand men were inrolled fit to carry arms. He divided the people into fix claffes, and every clafs into centuries, compofed of an unequal number of citizens. He placed ninety-eight centuries in the firft clafs. This com • Montefquieu. prehended prehended the richest citizens, that is, thofe who were poffeffed of an hundred mine. Sixty-five minæ qualified for the fecond clafs, which confifted of twenty-two centuries. Fifty for the third, which was compofed of twenty. Twentyfive for the fourth, confifting, like the fecond, of twentytwo; and twelve and a half for the fifth, which comprehended thirty. The fixth clafs formed only one century, in which Servius left all the poorer citizens. All the people were divided into a hundred and ninetythree centuries. The five firft claffes bore all the burdens of the ftate; but the partition was made according to the number of centuries. Thus, the first clafs, which confifted of ninety-eight centuries, contributed more than all the reft put together. To recompence the rich for the fervices which they performed, and the taxes which they paid, Servius enacted, that, for the future, the people fhould affemble by centuries; that. their fuffrages fhould be collected by centuries; and that the firft clafs fhould give the firft fuffrage. Thefe were the affemblies, which, after this regulation, paffed into a law, elected magiftrates, made peace, decreed war, and exercised the fovereign power. As all the centuries met in the public affemblies, all feemed to have an equal share in their deliberations; but, in fact, the whole power was fecretly conveyed into the hands of the rich, and the right of fuffrage poffeffed by the poorer citizens was merely nominal, and of no avail. As the whole nation was compofed of a hundred and ninety-three centuries, if the ninety-eight centuries of the firft clafs, which voted firft, were unanimous, as generally happened, a majority of voices was declared. Thus, in the Comitia by centuries, the great body of the citizens, in a fecret and infenfible manner, were ftripped of their authority. Changes in the state of fociety produce changes in government. When an equality of fortunes prevailed, it was juft that there should be an equality in the public affemblies, and that the majority of voices fhould determine. When a great inequality of fortune prevailed new arrangements became neceffary. Power naturally follows on property, and they who bear the expences of government are entitled to a proportional fhare of its privileges and honours. Meditating greater changes in the government, Servius was bereaved of his crown and life by his fon-in-law Tarquin, in the forty-fourth year of his reign. Having Having made his way to the throne by blood-fhed, Tarquin fupported by violence the power which he had acquired by injuftice; and, from an ufurper, became a tyrant. Political, however, and enterprizing, he neglected no measure to fecure his authority and extend his power. From the time of Servius the conftitution of Rome became aristocratical. The object of Tarquin was to humble the ariftocracy and exalt the regal power. The plebeians, who faw at first with joy the humiliation of the great families, groaned at laft under the burdens with which they were loaded; and, rather than submit to flavery, fome of them flew themfelves in despair. A general caufe, however great or important, is infufficient to determine the minds of men to action, without the particular impreffion of a recent event. We have beheld how Hippias, the fon of Pififtratus, loft the crown. Sextus, the fon of Tarquin, had committed a rape upon Lucretia. The outraged matron affembled her father, her husband, her relations, her friends; fhe told her ftory; and, unable to survive the affront, plunged a poniard into her bofom. Brutus wrenched the bloody weapon from the bofom of Lucretia, and fwore by the Gods to revenge the Roman matron. Grafping the poniard one after another, all the friends renewed the fame oath. Hence the liberty of Rome*. After the expulfion of the kings, a form of government, in appearance republican, was eftablifhed, though the fenate referved by far the greateft fhare of authority to themselves. The confuls fucceeded to the kings, and the confular dignity differed in nothing from the royal power, but that the exercise thereof was limited to a year. CHA P. XXII. Remarks on the Reigns of the Roman Kings. The nature and condition of a growing HE different difpofitions of the Kings of Rome were ftate. The afpiring temper of Romulus promoted the martial fpirit of his companions, who, from different parts, affociated with him for refuge, and looked upon Rome as a place of protection, whence they might, with impunity, make ex *Logan's Philofophy of Hiftory. curfion curfions to the neighbouring country, and carry on their depredations. Numa, in this light alfo, was a proper fucceffor to Romulus. This prince was better qualified to model and regulate than to found a ftate; his view was to foften the manners and rugged difpofitions of the people, and to establish a subordination and mode of government among them. On this principle he inftituted religious ceremonies, and introduced into the fociety the duties of religion, and the principles of urbanity at the fame time he endeavoured to impress them with the idea that the gods, in a particular manner, took them under their protection. The reign of Tullus ferved to revive their valour, and infpired them with the thought of enlarging their dominion by the conqueft of Alba, and other neigbouring ftates. These ftates, indeed, frequently oppofed their defigns, but never entered into a formidable affociation at once to fupprefs and abolish this infant colony. On the increase of inhabitants, Ancus enlarged the city, joined a new fuburb to it by a bridge acrofs the Tyber, and opened a door for future inprovement in commerce, by the convenient port of Oftia. The dignity and pomp of government, was greatly raised by the enfigns of royalty introduced by Tarquinius Prifcus, and by the fplendor of his triumphs. Servius new-modelled the ftate, and divided the people into tribes and centuries. He also made a more equal diftribution of impost among them; and was the firft Prince who eftablished a regular coin, or currency of money. And lastly, if we look to the event, the tyranny of Tarquin was advantageous to a people, who provoked by his abufe of power, were incited and animated to be on their guard, and recover that liberty they had fo long maintained; which otherwife, without a commotion in the ftate, they were on the point of lofing entirely. It may be farther remarked, that in this firft age of the Romans, and under the reign of their kings, they made but little progress in the extention of their firft fettlement. A fmall fpot, of fifteen miles only, made the whole circuit of the Roman territory, notwithstanding the great increase of inhabitants. War and agriculture were almoft their fole employ. Arts and sciences were but little cultivated among them; and their profeffed poverty, and difregard for riches, had not yet led them to commerce. Their chief wealth arofe from conqueft, and the spoil of their neighbours, which was always laid up in a public repofitory, and divided, ac cording cording to a stated difpofition, among the whole body of the people. Thefe general remarks cannot be better concluded than in the words of a judicious Hiftorian, who obferves from Cicero, "When we confider at one view the increase of this "infant ftate, which under the fhadow of a monarchical but "limitted government, grew infenfibly to a degree of maturity "and ftrength, by wife regulations and wholefome laws; the "Arufpices and religious ceremonies, the order of the affem"blies, the power of the people owned and revered, the auguft affembly of the fenate, looked upon as the great "council of the nation, the military difcipline and martial courage carried to a furprizing and aftonishing height, all "the parts of the commonwealth appear in fo permanent and "fettled a state, as to feem almoft entirely perfect. And yet "this fame commonwealth, after fhaking off the regal yoke, “and obtaining an extenfive liberty, appeared still greatly "different, and by a fwift progrefs rofe to a perfection and "excellence hardly to be conceived." BR CHAP. XXIII. Rome under the Confuls. RUTUS, the deliverer of his country, and Tarquinius Collatinus, the husband of Lucretia, were the first Confuls of Rome. They had no fooner taken poffeffion of the government, than they filled up the vacant feats in the fenate, and increafed its number. The whole fenate and people took a folemn oath, never to fuffer the Tarquins, or any other king to reign at Rome. Tarquin, however, by means of his ambaffadors, attached a party of the Roman youth to his caufe, who concerted meafures to re-establish him on the throne. The confpirators, being detected, were brought before the confuls; and Brutus beheld his own fons. The father of his country, by a terrible example, fixed the foundation of Roman liberty. The people were fummoned to the Comitia, where Brutus and his colleague fat on the tribunal of juftice. The prifoners were brought and tied to ftakes. Brutus began the trial. with the *Rollin. examination, |