CONTENTS. PAGE 1 ON THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE. (June 1823.) SCENES FROM "ATHENIAN REVELS." (January 1824.) CRITICISMS ON THE PRINCIPAL ITALIAN WRITERS. No. I. DANTE. (January CRITICISMS ON THE PRINCIPAL ITALIAN WRITERS. No. II. PETRARCH. (April ON THE ATHENIAN ORATORS. (August 1824.) A PROPHETIC ACCOUNT OF A GRAND NATIONAL EPIC POEM, TO BE ENTITLED "THE WELLINGTONIAD," AND TO BE PUBLISHED A.D. 2824. (November 1824.) 64 THE BATTLE OF NASEBY, BY OBADIAH BIND-THEIR-KINGS-IN-CHAINS-AND-THEIR- NOBLES-WITH-LINKS-OF-IRON, SERJEANT IN IRETON'S REGIMENT. (1824.) THE MARRIAGE OF TIRZAH AND AHIRAD. (1827.) THE COUNTRY CLERGYMAN'S TRIP TO CAMBRIDGE. AN ELECTION BALLAD. INSCRIPTION ON THE STATUE OF LORD WM. BENTINCK, AT CALCUTTA. MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS OF LORD MACAULAY. CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNIGHT'S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. FRAGMENTS OF A ROMAN TALE. | morning. Strange things are whis pered in the higher political circles." "The Gods confound the political circles. I have hated the name of politician ever since Sylla's proscription, when I was within a moment of having my throat cut by a politician, who took me for another politician. While there is a cask of Falernian in Campania, or a girl in the Suburra, I shall be too well employed to think on the subject." Ir was an hour after noon. Ligarius was returning from the Campus Martius. He strolled through one of the streets which led to the forum, settling his gown, and calculating the odds on the gladiators who were to fence at the approaching Saturnalia. While thus occupied, he overtook Flaminius, who, with a heavy step and a melancholy "You will do well," said Flaminius face, was sauntering in the same direc-gravely, "to bestow some little consition. The light-hearted young man plucked him by the sleeve. "Good day, Flaminius. Are you to be of Catiline's party this evening?" 66 Not I." "Why so? Your little Tarentine girl will break her heart." "No matter. Catiline has the best cooks and the finest wine in Rome. There are charming women at his parties. But the twelve-line board and the dice-box pay for all. The Gods confound me if I did not lose two millions of sesterces last night. My villa at Tibur, and all the statues that my father the prætor brought from Ephesus, must go to the auctioneer. That is a high price, you will acknowledge, even for Phoenicopters, Chian, and Callinice." "High indeed, by Pollux." "And that is not the worst. I saw several of the leading senators this deration upon it at present. Otherwise, I fear, you will soon renew your acquaintance with politicians, in a manner quite as unpleasant as that to which you allude." 66 Averting Gods! what do you mean?" "I never listen to any opinions upon such subjects, bold or timid." "Look to it. Your name has been mentioned." the young gallants of Rome were envy- "Mine! good Gods! I call heaven" Caius Cæsar is as unlikely to be in a to witness that I never so much as plot as I am." mentioned Senate, Consul, or Comitia, in Catiline's house." "Not at all." "He does nothing but game, feast, Nobody suspects you of any parti-intrigue, read Greek, and write verses.' cipation in the inmost counsels of the "You know nothing of Cæsar. party. But our great men surmise that Though he rarely addresses the Senate, you are among those whom he has he is considered as the finest speaker bribed so high with beauty, or en- there, after the Consul. His influence tangled so deeply in distress, that they with the multitude is immense. He are no longer their own masters. I will serve his rivals in public life as he shall never set foot within his threshold served me last night at Catiline's. We again. I have been solemnly warned were playing at the twelve lines.*-Imby men who understand public affairs; mense stakes. He laughed all the and I advise you to be cautious." time, chatted with Valeria over his shoulder, kissed her hand between every two moves, and scarcely looked at the board. I thought that I had him. All at once I found my counters driven into the corner. Not a piece to move, by Hercules. It cost me two millions of Sesterces. All the Gods and Goddesses confound him for it!" The friends had now turned into the forum, which was thronged with the gay and elegant youth of Rome. "I can tell you more," continued Flaminius; "somebody was remarking to the Consul yesterday how loosely a certain acquaintance of ours tied his girdle. 'Let him look to himself,' said Cicero, 'or the state may find a tighter girdle for his neck.'" "Good Gods! who is it? You cannot surely mean "There he is." Flaminius pointed to a man who was pacing up and down the forum at a little distance from them. He was in the prime of manhood. His personal advantages were extremely striking, and were displayed with an extravagant but not ungraceful foppery. His gown waved in loose folds; his long dark curls were dressed with exquisite art, and shone and steamed with odours; his step and gesture exhibited an elegant and commanding figure in every posture of polite languor. But his countenance formed a singular contrast to the general appearance of his person. The high and imperial brow, the keen aquiline features, the compressed mouth, the penetrating eye, indicated the highest degree of ability and decision. He seemed absorbed in intense meditation. With eyes fixed on the ground, and lips working in thought, he sauntered round the area, apparently unconscious how many of "As to Valeria," said Ligarius, "I forgot to ask whether you have heard the news." "Not a word. What?" "I was told at the baths to-day that Cæsar escorted the lady home. Unfortunately old Quintus Lutatius had come back from his villa in Campania, in a whim of jealousy. He was not expected for three days. There was a fine tumult. The old fool called for his sword and his slaves, cursed his wife, and swore that he would cut Cæsar's throat." "And Cæsar?" "He laughed, quoted Anacreon, trussed his gown round his left arm, closed with Quintus, flung him down, twisted his sword out of his hand, burst through the attendants, ran a freed-man through the shoulder, and was in the street in an instant." "Well done! Here he comes. Good day, Caius." Cæsar lifted his head at the saluta*Duodecim scripta, a game of mixed chance and skill, which seems to have been very The famous lawyer Mucius was renowned for fashionable in the higher circles of Rome. his skill in it.—(Cic. Orat. i. 50.) tion. His air of deep abstraction vanished; and he extended a hand to each of the friends. "How are you after your last night's exploit ?" As well as possible," said Cæsar, laughing. "In truth we should rather ask how Quintus Lutatius is." "He, I understand, is as well as can be expected of a man with a faithless spouse and a broken head. His freedman is most seriously hurt. Poor fellow he shall have half of whatever I win to-night. Flaminius, you shall have your revenge at Catiline's." "You are very kind. I do not intend to be at Catiline's till I wish to part with my town-house. My villa is gone already." "Not at Catiline's, base spirit! You are not of his mind, my gallant Ligarius. Dice, Chian, and the loveliest Greek singing-girl that was ever seen. Think of that, Ligarius. By Venus, she almost made me adore her, by telling me that I talked Greek with the most Attic accent that she had heard in Italy." "I doubt she will not say the same of me," replied Ligarius. "I am just as able to decipher an obelisk as to read a line of Homer." "You barbarous Scythian, who had the care of your education?" "An old fool, a Greek pedant,- -a Stoic. He told me that pain was no evil, and flogged me as if he thought so. At last one day, in the middle of a lecture, I set fire to his enormous filthy beard, singed his face, and sent him roaring out of the house. There ended my studies. From that time to this I have had as little to do with Greece as the wine that your poor old friend Lutatius calls his delicious Samian." "I tell you I can speak no Greek." 'More shame for you. It is high time that you should begin. You will never have such a charming instructress. Of what was your father thinking when he sent for an old Stoic with a long beard to teach you? There is no language-mistress like a handsome woman. When I was at Athens, I learnt more Greek from a pretty flowergirl in the Peiræus than from all the Portico and the Academy. She was no Stoic, Heaven knows. But come along to Zoe. I will be your interpreter. Woo her in honest Latin, and I will turn it into elegant Greek between the throws of dice. I can make love and mind my game at once, as Flaminius can tell you." All "Well, then, to be plain, Cæsar, Flaminius has been talking to me about plots, and suspicions, and politicians. I never plagued myself with such things since Sylla's and Marius's days; and then I never could see much difference between the parties. that I am sure of is, that those who meddle with such affairs are generally stabbed or strangled. And, though I like Greek wine and handsome women, I do not wish to risk my neck for them. Now, tell me as a friend, Caius; is there no danger?" 'Danger!" repeated Cæsar, with a short, fierce, disdainful laugh: "what danger do you apprehend?' "Well done, Ligarius. I hate a Stoic. I wish Marcus Cato had a beard that you might singe it for him. The fool talked his two hours in the Senate yes- "That you should best know," said terday, without changing a muscle of Flaminius; "you are far more intimate his face. He looked as savage and as with Catiline than I. But I advise you motionless as the mask in which to be cautious. The leading men enRoscius acted Alecto. I detest every-tertain strong suspicions." thing connected with him." "Except his sister, Servilia." Cæsar drew up his figure from its ordinary state of graceful relaxation |