1. Elogium of Cæfar's clemency.

Marcellus declared himself an enemy to Cæfar upon all occafions, and that in a very injurious and open manner. However, when Cæfar returned to Rome,, he was very willing to pardon Marcellus, at the fee. nate's requeft, and to receive him into favour.

Suppofe this conduct were to be extolled :. for that. end it is natural enough to draw a comparison between. the action and Cæfar's victories, and to give the former the preference. This then shall ftand as the propofition, to which all this common-place will refer.

Cafar's clemency in pardoning Marcellus is much more glorious than all his victories.

But this propofition must be handled with great art and delicacy. The pupils fhould be asked, if there be no reason to fear, that this comparison, which feemingly tends to leffen the fplendor of Cæfar's victories,. will be offenfive to a conqueror, who is commonly jealous of that kind of glory. To prevent fo ill an effect, the fcholars must be told, they fhould begin by making a great encomium on his military actions, which Cicero has done in a wonderful manner. This. rule in rhetoric shall be explained hereafter, under the title of oratorial precautions.

"Nullius" tantum eft flumen ingenii, nulla dicendi aut fcribendi tanta vis tantaque copia, quæ, non dicam

" Pro Marcel. n. 4. 10.

w Never, Cæfar, will eloquence, with all its pomp and abundance, never will the greatest genius be able to exprefs the grandeur of your exploits, much less to add the Jeaft luftre to them by the manner of relating them. I dare however, affirm, and you will permit me 10 fay it in your prefence, that among fo many illuftrious actions, none is more glorious to you, than that whereof we are now witneffes. I

exornare,

often reflect, and find a real plea-
fure in publishing, that the noble
actions of our moft celebrated ge-
nerals, thofe of the most renowned
princes, or of the moß warlike
nations, cannot be compared with
yours; whether we confider the
greatness of wars, the multitude of
battles, the different countries, the
rapidity of conquefts, or the diver-
fity of enterprizes. By your victo-
ries, you have fubdued a great
number of regions, vastly distant

from

exornare, fed enarrare, C. Caefar, res tuas geflas poffit: tamen boc affirmo, & hoc pace dicam tua, nullam in his effe laudem ampliorem, quam cam, quam hodierno die confecutus es. Soleo fæpe ante occulos ponere, idque li benter crebris ufurpare fermonibus, omnes noftrorum Imperatorum, omnes exterarum gentium potentiffimorumque populorum, omnes clariffimorum Regum res geftas, cum tuis nec contentionum magnitudine, nec numero præliorum, nec varietate regionum, nec celeritate conficiendi, nee diffimilitudine bellorum poffe conferri: nec vero disjunc tiffimas terras citius cujufquam paffibus potuiffe peragrari, quam tuis, non dicam curfibus, fed victoris illuftrate funt (alias, luftrata funt.) Qua quidem ego nifi ita magna effe fatear, ut ea vix cujufquam mens aut cogitatio capere poffit, amens fim: fed tamen funt alia majora.

After taking this precaution, he proceeds to compare the military actions of Cæfar with his clemency, in reinftating Marcellus: And this kind of clemency is preferred to his exploits for three reafons, which may eafily occur to young people, at least the two firft.

I. REASON. A general cannot afcribe all the glory of a victory folely to himfelf; whereas that of Cæfar's clemency is perfonal, and entirely his own. This is the fimple propofition; and it is the business of eloquence to enlarge upon, to difplay, and place it in the strongest light. Tutors direct young perfons by proper questions to find of themselves feveral circumftances, which fhew a general has no more than a fhare of the glory arifing from victories; and add, it is not fo with regard to that which Cæfar acquired by pardoning Marcellus.

Nam bellicas laudes folent quidam extenuare verbis, eafque detrahere ducibus, communicare cum militibus, ne propria

from one another, and these you conquered as expeditiously as another would travel through them. And I fhould be void of all sense, not to own, that fuch exploits are almoft fuperior to any ideas we can

form to ourselves of them. They have, however, fomething fill greater, and more aftonishing.

* For as to military actions, fome pretend to leffen their luftre, by alerting, that the private foldier

shares

propria fint imperatorum. Et certe in armis militum virtus, locorum opportunitas, auxilia fociorum, claffes, commeatus, multum juvant. Maximam vero partem quafi fuo jure fortuna fibi vendicat, & quidquid eft profpere gefum, id pene omne ducit fuum.

y At vero hujus gloria, C. Cæfar, quam es paulo ante adeptus, focium habes neminem. Totum hoc, quantumcumque eft, quod certe maximum eft, totum eft, inquam, tuum. Nihil fibi ex ifta laude centurio, nihil præfectus, nihil cohors, nihil turma decerpit. Quin etiam illa i fa rerum humanarum domina fortuna, in iftius fe focietatem gloriae non offert. Tibi cedit: tuam effe totam & propriam fatetur. Nunquam enim temeritas cum fapientia commifcetur, nec ad confilium cafus admittitur.

II. REASON. It is easier to conquer an enemy than to furmount one's paffions.

z Domuifti gentes immanitate barbaras, multitudine innumerabiles, locis infinitas, omni copiarum genere abun

acknowleges it wholly yours: for temerity and chance are never found where wisdom and prudence prefide. z You have fubdued innumerable nations, with their cities and fortreffes, terrible from their ferocity, and provided with every thing neceffary for defence. But then, you conquered only what was adapted by nature and condition to be conquered for nothing is fo powerful or formidable, but may be overcome by fuperior force. But to overcome one's felf; to stifle refentment; to temper victory; to raife a difcomfited enemy, an enemy confiderable by his birth, his capacity, and courage; and not only to raise him from a dejected ftate, but promote him to greater honours and dignities than he poffeffed before; he, I fay, who does this, is not to be compared with the greatest of mankind, but, in my opinion, is moft like the immortal gods.

2

dants:

dantes: fed tamen ea vicifti quæ & naturam & conditionem, ut vinci poffent, habebant. Nulla eft enim tanta vis, tanta copia, quæ non ferro ac viribus debilitari frangique poffit. Verum animum vincere; iracundiam cohibere; victorium temperare; adverfarium nobilitate, ingenio, virtute præftantem, non modo extollere jacentem, fed etiam amplificare ejus priftinam dignitatem; hæc qui faciat non ego eum cum fummis viris compario, fed fimillimum Deo judico.

III. REASON. There is fomething tumultuous in battles, the bare relation of, which occafions a kind of like disorder in the foul; whereas acts of beneficence and clemency footh the mind agreeably, and gain the affections of all who hear them related.

a

Itaque, C. Cæfar, bellica tuæ laudes, celebrabuntur ille quidem non folum noftris, fed pene omnium gentium literis atque linguis: neque ulla unquam ætas de tuis laudibus conticefcet: fed tamen ejufmodi res, etiam dum audiuntur, aut dum leguntur, obftrepi clamore militum videntur, & tubarum fono. At vero cum aliquid clementer, manfuete, jufte, moderate, fapienter factum, in iracundia præfertim, quæ eft inimica confilio, & in victoria, quæ natura infolens & fuperba eft, aut audimus aut legimus; quo fludio incendimur, non modo in geftis rebus, fed etiam in fictis, ut eos fæpe, quos nunquam vidimus, diligamus?

Te vero, quem fræfentem intuemur, cujus mentem fenfufque nos cernimus, ut, quicquid belli fortuna reli

a Your conquefts, Cæfar, will indeed be read in your annals, and those of almost all nations; nor will they be forgot by the lateft pofterity. But when we read or hear relations of wars and battles, it fo. happens, I know not how, that the admiration they excite, is in fome measure interrupted by tumultuous cries of foldiers, and the clangor of trumpets. On the contrary, the recital of an action where clemency, lenity, juftice, moderation, and

quum

wifdom, are confpicuous, especially
if it be performed in anger, ever a-
verfe to reflection, and in the midst
of victory, which is naturally.
haughty and infolent, the relation,
I fay, of an action like this, even
in feigned hiftory, infpires fuch
kind, fuch lively fentiments of be-
nevolence and efteem for the au-
thors, that we cannot avoid loving
them, though we have not the leaf
knowledge of their perfons.
b But you, Cæfar, whom we

hay

quum reipublicæ fecerit, id effe falvum velis, quibus laudibus efferemus? quibus ftudiis profequemur? qua benevolentia completemur? Parietes medius fidius, C. Cafar, ut mihi videtur, hujus curiæ tibi gratius agere geftiunt, quod brevi tempora futura fit illa auctoritas in his majorum fuorum & fuis fedibus.

A fubject in writing for a French theme.

The theme is to difplay the religion and piety of marshal Turenne, even in the midft of battles and victories.

The orator muft begin with a common-place, to represent how difficult it is for a general, at the head of a great army, neither to be elate with pride, nor to confider himself infinitely fuperior to the rest of mankind. Even the afpect of the war, the noife of arms, the cries of foldiers, &c. confpire to make him forget 'what he himself and what God is. It was on fuch occafions, Salmoneus, Antiochus, and Pharaoh, had the prefumption and impiety to think themselves gods; but it must be confeffed that religion and humility never appear more illuftrious, than when they render a man fubmiffive and obedient to God in fuch high fortunes.

It was on fuch occafions that M. Turenne gave the greatest proofs of his piety: he was often feen to withdraw into woods, and, in the midst of the rain and dirt, proftrate himself before God. He ordered prayers to be faid in the camp every day, at which he affifted in person with fingular devotion.

Even in the heat of battle, when fuccefs appeared infallible, and news was brought him of it from all quar

have the happiness to fee; you whose heart, whofe very foul we know; you who have no defigns but fuch as tend to preferve the commonwealth, as much of it as has escaped the rage of war; What praifes fhall we pay to you? By what demonftration of zeal and re

fpect fhall we profefs our acknow ledgment? Yes, Cæfar, all things here are fenfible of this act of gerofity; even thefe walls feem to exprefs their joy for the defign you have of reftoring them to their ancient fplendor, and the fenate to its former authority.

ters,