'crowd of clients conducting the orator from his houfe, and attending him

The particular usefulness, indeed, of this profeffion is evidently manifefted in the opportunities it fupplies of ferving others, though we fhould have no occafion to exert it in our own behalf: but should we, upon any occur⚫rence, be ourselves attacked, the sword and buckler is not a more powerful defence in the day of battle, than Oratory in the dangerous season of public arraignment. What had Marcellus lately to oppofe to the united refentment of the whole fenate, but • his eloquence? Yet, fupported by that formidable auxiliary, he ftood firm and unmoved, amidst all the affaults of the artful Helvidius; who, notwithstanding he was a man of fenfe ⚫ and elocution, was totally inexpert in the management of this fort of contefts. But I need not infiit farther on this head; well perfuaded as I am, that Maternus will not controvert fo clear a truth. Rather let me obferve the pleature which attends the exercife of the perfuafive art: a pleasure, which does not arife only once, perhaps, in a whole life, but flows in ⚫ a perpetual fries of gratifications. • What can be more agreeable to a liberal and ingenuous mind, formed ⚫ with a relish of rational enjoyments, than to fee one's levée crouded with a concourfe of the most illuftrious perfonages: not as followers of your interett or your power; not becaufe you are rich and deftitute of heirs; but fingly in confideration of your fupe rior qualifications. It is not unufual, upon thefe occafions, to obferve the wealthy, the powerful, and the childlefs, addreffing themselves to a young man (and probably no rich one) in favour of themfelves or their friends. • Tell me, now, has authority or wealth a charm, equal to the fatisfaction of thus beholding perfons of the highest • dignity, venerable by their age, or powerful by their credit, in the full enjoyment of every external advantage, courting your affiftance, and tacitly acknowledging, that, great and dubinguished as they are, there is tomething still wanting to them more valuable than all their poffeffions? Reprefent to yourfelf the honourable

appearance he makes in public, the diftinguishing refpect that is paid to him in the courts of judicature, the exultation of heart when he rifes up before a full audience, hufhed in so• lemn filence, and fixed attention, preffing round the admired fpeaker, and receiving every paffion he deems proper to raife! Yet thefe are but the ordinary joys of eloquence, and vifible to every common obferver. There are others, and thofe far fuperior, of a 'more concealed and delicate kind, and of which the orator himf lf can alone be fenfible. Does he ftand forth prepared with a ftudied harangue? As the compolition, fo the pleasure, in this inftance, is more folid and equal. If, on the other hand, he rifes in a new and unexpected debate, the previous folicitude, which he feels upon fuch 'occafions, recommends and improves the pleasure of his fuccefs; as indeed the most exquifite fatisfaction of this kind is, when he boldly hazards the unpremeditated fpeech. For it is in the productions of genius, as in the fruits of the earth; thofe which arife fpontaneoufly are ever the most agreeable. If I may venture to mention • myself, I must acknowledge, that neither the fatisfaction I received when • I was first inveited with the laticlave, nor even when I entered upon the several high pofts in the state; though the pleafure was heightened to me, not only as thofe honours were new to my family, but as I was born in a city by no means favourable to my pretenfions: the warm tranfports, I fay, which I felt at thofe times, were far inferior to the joy which has glowed in my breaft, when I have fuccefs fully exerted my humble talents in defence of thofe caufes and clients committed to my care. To fay truth, I imagined myself, at fuch feafons, to be raised above the highest dignities, and in the • possession of something far more valuable, than either the favour of the great, or the bounty of the wealthy, can ever beftow.

6

Of all the arts or fciences, there is no one, which crowns it's voraries with a reputation in any degree comparable to that of eloquence. It is not only thofe of a more exalted rank in the

ftate, who are witneffes of the orator's fame; it is extended to the obferva'tion even of our very youth of any ' hopes or merit. Whofe example, for instance, do parents more frequently ' recommend to their fons? or who are 'more the gaze and admiration of the 'people in general? whilft every stran

ger that arrives, is curious of feeing the man, of whofe character he has • heard fuch honourable report. I will venture to affirm, that Marcellus, 'whom I just now mentioned, and Vibius, (for I chufe to produce my inftances from modern times, rather than from thofe more remote) are as wellknown in the most diftant corners of the empire, as they are at Capua 'or Vercellæ, the places, it is said, of their respective nativity: an honour, for which they are by no means indebted to their immenfe riches. On the contrary, their wealth may jufly, it should feem, be afcribed to their 'eloquence. Every age, indeed, can 'pro-luce perfons of genius, who, by

means of this powerful talent, have 'raised themselves to the most exalted ftation. But the inftances I just now mentioned, are not drawn from diftant times: they fail within the ob 'fervation of our own eyes. Now the 'more obfcure the original extraction

of thofe illuftrious perfons was, the more bumble the patrimony to which they were born, fo much stronger proof they afford of the great advantage of the oratorical arts. Accordingly, without the recommendation of family or fortune, without any thing very extraordinary in their virtues, (and one of them rather contemptible in his addrefs) they have for many years maintained the highest credit and authority among their fellow-citizens. Thus, ⚫ from being chiefs in the forum, where they preferved their distinguished eminence as long as they thought proper; they have paffed on to the enjoyment of the fame high rank in Vefpafian's favour, whofe efteem for them feems to be mixed even with a degree of reverence: as indeed they both fupport and conduct the whole weight of his adminiftration. That excellent and venerable prince (whofe fingular cha#racter it is, that he can endure to hear truth) well knows that the rest of his

favourites are diftinguished only as they are the objects of his munificence; the fupplies of which he can eafil raife, and with the fame facility confer on others. Whereas Crifpus and Marcellus recommended themselves to his notice by advantages which no earthly potentate either did, or could, bestow. The truth of it is, infcrip⚫tions, and statues, and enfigns of dignity, could claim but the lowest rank, amidst their more illuftrious diftinctions. Not that they are unpoffeffed • of honours of this kind, any more than they are deftitute of wealth or power: advantages, much oftener affectedly depreciated than fincerely defpifed.

Such, my friends, are the orna ments, and fuch the rewards of an early application to the bufinefs of the forum, and the arts of oratory! But Poetry, to which Maternus wishes to devote his days, (for it, was that which gave rife to our debate) confers neither dignity to her foliowers in particular, nor advantage to fociety in general. The whole amount of her pre⚫tenfions is nothing more than the tranfient pleasure of a vain and fruitless applaufe. Perhaps what I have already faid, and am going to add, may not be very agreeable to my friend Maternus: however, I will venture to afk him, what avails the eloquence of his Jafon or Agamemnon? what mortal does it either defend or oblige? Who is it that courts the patronage, or joins the train, of Baffus, that ingeni ous, (or, if you think the term more honourable) that illuftrious poet? Eminent as he may be, if his friend, his relation, or himfelf, were involved in any litigated tranfactions, he would be under the neceffity of having recourfe to Secundus, or, perhaps, to you, my friend: but by no means, however, as you are a poet, and in or der to folicit you to beltow fome verfes upon him: for verfes he can compofe himself, fair, it feems, and godly, · Yet, after all, when he has, at the coft of much time, and many a laboured lucubration, fpun out a fingle canto, he is obliged to traverse the whole town in order to collect an audience, Nor can he procure even this compli ment, flight as it is, without actually

• purchasing

purchasing it: for the hiring a room, erecting a stage, and difperfing his tickets, are articles which must neceffarily be attended with fome expence. And let us fuppofe his poem is approved: the whole admiration is over in a day or two, like that of a fine flower which dies away without pro< ducing any fruit. In a word, it fe⚫ cures to him neither friend nor patron, nor confers even the moft inconfiderable favour upon a fingle creature. The whole amount of his humble * gains is the fleeting pleafure of a cla

་

morous applaufe! We looked upon it, lately, as an uncommon inftance of generofity in Vefpatian, that he prelented Baffus with fifty thousand ferterces*. Honourable, I grant, it is, to poffefs a genius which merits the imperial bounty: but how much more glorious (if a man's circumftances will admit of it) to exhibit in one's own perfon an example of munificence and liberality? Let it he remembered likewife, if you would fucceed in your poetical labours, and produce any thing of real worth in that art, you muft retire, as the poets exprefs them⚫ felves,

To filent grottoes and fequefter'd groves:"

that is, you must renounce the converfation of your friends, and every civil • duty of life, to be concealed in gloomy and unprofitable folitude.

If we confider the votaries of this idle art with refpect to fame, that fingle recompence which they pretend to derive, or indeed to feek, from their tudies; we fhall find, they do not by any means enjoy an equal proportion of it with the fons of Oratory. For even the best poets fall within the notice of but a very finall proportion of mankind; whilft indifferent ones are univerfally dilregarded. Tell me, Maternus, did ever the reputation of the most approved rehearsal of the po, etical kind reach the cognizance even of half the town; much lefs extend itfelf to detant provinces? Did ever any foreigner, upon his arrival here, enquire after Ballus? Or if he did, it was merely as he would after a picture or a statue; just to look upon him, and pals on. I would in no fort be un. derstood as difcouraging the purfuit

Had

of Poetry in those who have no talents for Oratory; if happily they can, by that means, amufe their leisure and establish a just character. I look upon every fpecies of Eloquence as venerable and facred; and prefer her, in whatever guife the may think proper to ap pear, before any other of her fitter-arts: hot only, Maternus, when the exhibits herself in your chofen favourite, the folemn tragedy, or lofty heroic, but even in the pleafant lyric, the wanton elegy, the fevere iambic, the witty epigram, or, in one word, in whatever other habit fhe is pleased to affume. But (I repeat it again) my complaint is levelled fingly against you; who, defigned as you are by nature for the moft exalted rank of eloquence, chufe to defert your ftation, and deviate into a lower order. you been endued with the athletic vigour of Nicoftratus, and born in Greece, where arts of that fort are esteemed not unworthy of the most refined characters; as I could not patiently have fuffered that uncommon ftrength of arm, formed for the nobler combat, to have idly spent itself in throwing the javelin, or toffing the coit: fo I now call you forth from rehearsals and theatres, to the forum, and business, and high debate; espe⚫cially fince you cannot urge the fame plea for engaging in poetry which is now generally alledged, that it is lefs liable to give offence than oratory. For the ardency of your genius has already flamed forth, and you have incurred the difpleasure of our fuperiors: not, indeed, for the fake of a friend; that would have been far lefs dangerous; but in fupport, truly, of Cato! Nor can you offer in excufe, either the duty of your profeffion, justice to your client, or the unguarded heat of debate. You fixed, it should feem, upon this illuftrious and popular fubject with deliberate defign, and as a character that would give weight and authority to your fentiments. You will reply, I am aware" It was "that very circumstance which gained

you fuch univerfal applaufe, and ren= "dered you the general topic of dif "courfe.' Talk no more then, I befeech you, of fecurity and repofe, whilft you thus induftriously raise up

Aper having delivered this with his ufual warmth and earnettnefs, I am prepared, replied Maternus, in a inder tone and with an air of pleasantry,

เ

to

draw up a charge, against the orators, no lefs copious than my friend's panegyric in their behalf. I fufpected, indeed, he would turn out of his road, in order to attack the poets: though, I must own at the fame time, he has • somewhat softened the severity of his fatire, by certain conceffions he is pleafed to make in their favour. He is willing, I perceive, to allow thofe whofe genius does not point to oratory, to apply themselves to poetry. Nevertheless, I do not fcruple to acknowledge, that with fome talents, perhaps, for the forum, I chufe to build my reputation on dramatic poetry. The firit attempt I made for this purpose, was by expofing the ⚫ dangerous power of Vatinius: a power which even Nero himself disapproved, and which that infamous favourite abufel, to the prophanation of the facred Mufes. And I am perfuaded, if I enjoy any fhare of fanie, it is to poetry rather than to oratory that I am indebted for the acquifition. It is my fixed purpofe, therefore, entirely to withdraw myself from the fatigue of the bar. I am by no means ambitious of that fplendid concourfe of clients, which Aper has reprefented in fuch pompous colours, any more than I am of thofe fculptured honours which he mentioned; though I must ⚫ confefs they have made their way into my family, notwithstanding ny in clinations to the contrary. Innocence is, now at least, a furer guard than eloquence; and I am in no apprehenfion I fhall ever have occafion to open " my lips in the fenate, unlefs, perhaps, in defence of a friend.

Woods and groves and folitude, the objects of Aper's invective, afford me, I will own to him, the most exquifite ⚫ fatisfaction. Accordingly, I esteem

it one of the great privileges of poetry, that it is not carried on in the noite and tumult of the world, amidst the painful importunity of anxious fuitors, and the affecting tears of diftreffed criminals. On the contrary, a mind 'enamoured of the Mules retires into fcenes of innocence and repofe, and enjoys the facred haunts of filence and contemplation. Here genuine Eloquence received her birth, and bere the fixed her facred and fequestered 'habitation. "Twas here, in decent and becoming garb, the recommended herself to the early notice of mortals, infpiring the breafts of the blamelefs and the good: bere first the voice divine of oracles was heard. But fee of modern growth, offspring of lucre and contention, was born in evil days, and employed (as Aper very justly • expreffed it) instead of weapon: "whilft " happier times, or, in the language of the Mufes, the golden age, free alike from orators and from crimes, abounded with infpired poets, who exerted their noble talents, not in defending the guilty, but in celebrating the good. Accordingly no character was ever more eminently diftinguished, or more augustly honoured": firft by the gods themselves, to whom the poets were supposed to serve as minifters at their feafts, and meffen< gers of their high behefts; and afterwards by that facred offspring of the gods, the first venerable race of legiflators. In that glorious lift we read the names, not of orators indeed, but of Orpheus, and Linus, or, if we are 'inclined to trace the illuftrious roll still higher, even of Apollo himself.

But thefe, perhaps, will be treated by Aper as héroes of Romance. He C cannot however deny, that Homer has received as fignal honours from pofterity, as Demofthenes; or that the fame of Sophocies or Euripides is as extenfive as that of Lyfias or Hyperides; that Cicero's merit is lefs univerfally 'confeffed than Virgil's; or that not one of the compofitions of Afinius or Meffala is in fo much request as the Medea of Ovid, or the Thyeftes of Varius. I will advance even farther, and venture to compare the unenvied 'fortune and happy felf-converfe of the poet with the anxious and bufy life of the orator; notwithstanding the hazardous contentions of the latter may 'poffibly