other Mobs, were extremely fuperftitious, and differ'd not from the prefent Generation at Rome, but in having a more innocent and lefs abfurd Superftition. AND if CICERO's Works come once to be generally read, as of all human Writings they best deserve, it will be found that they no more tend to the Service of any Priestly Purpose whatfoever, than the Writings of the Fathers of the Church (to whom the Laity us'd to be refer'd to find what was not in them) do the Purpose of any Church now upon the face of the earth. ness, puts him befides himself, and diforders his Thoughts: thefe are the Furys which torment the Wicked, thefe the Flames, and thefe the Torches. Again he fays, When you harangue the People with malicious Eloquence, when you demolish the Houses of Citizens, when with ftones you pelt and drive the most worthy Senators from the Forum; when you fet fire to your Neighbours Houfes, and burn Temples; when you ftir up Slaves to Sedition, and difturb the Celebration of Religious Ordinances; when you know no difference between your Wife and your Sifter, and matter not whofe Bed you defile; when you leudly revel, and outrageously debauch; then you fuffer thefe Torments which alone the Gods have ordain'd to punish the Wickedness of Men. hæ funt impiorum furiæ, he flammæ, he faces. Opera, Ed. Gron. p. 1827. Tu cùm furiales in concionibus voces mittis, cùm domos civium evertis, cùm lapidibus optimos viros Foro pellis, cùm ardentes faces in vicinorum tecta jactas, cùm ædes facras inflammas, cùm fervos concitas, cùm facra ludofque conturbas, cùm uxorem faroremque non difcernis; cùm quod ineas cubile non fentis; cùm baccharis, cùm furis; tum das eas poenas, quæ funt fole hominum fceleri à diis immortalibus conftitutæ. Ibid. p. 1622. (9.) CATQ (9.) CATO of Utica has this great Character from VELLEIUS PATERCULUS, *That he was a Man of so great Virtue, that he was the very Picture of it, and in every thing by his Knowledg approach'd more to the Gods than to Men. He never did any good Actions for the reputation of doing them, but because he could not do otherwife. He thought nothing reasonable but what was just; and being free from all the Defects of Men, had Fortune in his power. And the inimitable LUCAN has rais'd a noble Monument, not only to his Wisdom and Virtue, but to his Free-Thinking. And I expect your thanks for giving it you in the Tranflation of an Ingenious Author, as well as in the Original. On the occafion of CAT O's marching at the head of an Army through the Defarts of Africa near the Temple of JUPITER AMMON, the Poet fays, ftill) + HIS Hoft (as Crouds are fuperftitious Curious of Fate, of future Good and Ill, And fond to prove Prophetick AMMON'S Skill; Intreat * Homo virtuti fimillimus, & per omnia ingenio diis quam hominibus, propior, qui nunquam rectè fecit, ut facere videretur, fed quia aliter facere non poterat; cuique id folum vifum eft rationem habere, quod haberet juftitiam omnibus humanis vitiis immunis, femper fortunam in fua poteftate habuit. L. 2. c. 35. + Comitefque Catonem Orant, exploret Libycum memorata per orbem Numina, Intreat their Leader to the Gods would go, To thee their fore-determin'd Will fball tell: Their Will has been thy Law, and thou hast kept it well. Fate bids thee now the noble Thought improve; Fate brings thee here to meet and talk with JOVE. Inquire betimes what various Chance fball come To impious CESAR, and thy native Rome Try to avert at least thy Country's Doom. Numina, de fama tam longi judicet ævi. Ad leges, fequerifque Deum. Datur ecce loquendi Ask Jure Ask if these Arms our Freedom hall restore; To lead us in the wandring Maze of Thought: Become ev'n Oracles themselves to tell. Where would thy fond, thy vain Enquiry go? What mystisk Fate, what Secret wouldst thou know? Is it a doubt if Death fhould be my Doom, Jure fuo populis uti, legumque licebit, An Or if this World with all its Forces join'd, vain? If Good in lazy Speculations dwell, Thofe Doubts for which to Oracles we go? With inborn Precepts then our Souls were And then the Maker his new Creatures taught. Then when he form'd and gave us to be Men, gave us all our useful Knowledg Then, Canft He An noceat vis ulla bono? Fortunaque perdat Quicquid |