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consternation, presented themselves on the banks of the Danube, and, with a suppliant air, entreated the Romans to allow them a place of refuge. This they easily obtained from Valens, who assigned them several portions of land in Thrace, but left them destitute of all needful supplies. Stimulated, therefore, by hunger and resentment, they soon after rose against their protectors; and, in a dreadful engagement, which was fought near Adrianople, they destroyed Valens himself, and the greatest part of his army.

It was in this manner the Roman armies grew weaker; so that the emperors, finding it difficult at last to raise levies in the provinces, were obliged to hire one body of Barbarians to oppose another. This expedient had its advantage in circumstances of immediate danger; but, when that was over, the Romans found it was as difficult to rid themselves of their new allies as of their former enemies. Thus the empire was not ruined by any particular invasion, but sunk gradually under the weight of several attacks made upon it on every side. When the Barbarians had wasted one province, those who succeeded the first spoilers proceeded on to another. Their devastations were at first limited to Thrace, Mysia, and Pannonia; but, when these countries were ruined, they destroyed Macedonia, Thessaly, and Greece, and from thence they penetrated to Noricum. The empire was in this manner continually shrinking, and Italy at last became the frontier of its own dominion.

The valour and conduct of Theodosius in some measure retarded the destruction that had begun in the time of Valens; but, upon his death, the enemy became irresistible. A large body of Goths had been called in to assist the regular forces of the empire, under the command of Alaric, their king; but what was brought in to stop the universal decline, proved the most mortal

stab to its security. This Gothic prince, who is represented as brave, impetuous, and enterprising, perceiving the weakness of the state, and how little Arcadius and Honorius, the successors of Theodosius, were able to secure it, and being instigated also still further by the artifices of one Rosinus, who had designs upon the throne himself, this warlike prince, putting himself at the head of his barbarous forces, declared war against his employers, and fought the armies of the empire for several years with various success. In proportion, however, as his troops were cut off, he received new supplies from his native forests; and at length putting his mighty designs into execution, passed the Alps, and poured down like a torrent among the fruitful valleys of Italy. The timid inhabitants beheld his approach with terror, but the inhabitants of Rome felt the calamities of the times with double aggravation. This great city, that had long sat as mistress of the world, now saw herself besieged by an army of fierce and terrible Barbarians; and being crowded with inhabitants, it was reduced by the extremities of pestilence and famine to a most deplorable situation. In this extremity the senate sent ambassadors to Alaric, king of the Goths, and he consented to withdraw his forces upon payment of an immense ransom. this was but a temporary removal of their calamity; for Alaric, now finding that he might become master of Rome whenever he thought proper, returned with his army a short time after, pressed it more closely than he had done before, and at last took it; but whether by force or stratagem is not agreed among historians. Thus that city which for ages had plundered the rest of the world, and enriched herself with the spoils of mankind, now felt in turn the sad reverse of fortune, and suffered all that barbarity could inflict, or patience could endure. The soldiers had free liberty to pillage all places except the Christian.

But

churches; and in the midst of this horrible desolation, so great was the reverence of these Barbarians for our holy religion, that the Pagan Romans found safety in applying to those of the Christian persuasion for protection. This dreadful devastation continued for three days; and unspeakable were the precious monuments, both of art and learning, that sunk under the fury of the conquerors. There were, however, numberless traces of the city's former greatness; so that this capture seemed rather a correction than a total overthrow.

still

were obliged to retire to Ravenna, a place so fortified by nature, that they could be safe without the assistance of an army. What Alaric, therefore, spared, Genseric, king of the Vandals, not long after, contributed to destroy; his merciless soldiers, for fourteen days together, ravaged with implacable fury in the midst of that venerable place. Neither private dwellings, nor public buildings, neither sex, nor age, nor religion, were the least protection against their lust or avarice. The capital of the empire having been

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But the Gothic conquerors of the West, though they had suffered Rome to survive its first capture, now found how easy it was to become masters of it upon any other occasion. The extent of its walls had, in fact, made it almost impracticable for the inhabitants to defend them; and, as it was situated in a plain, it might be stormed without much difficulty. Besides this, no succours were to be expected from without; for the number of the people was so extremely diminished, that the emperors

thus ransacked several times, and Italy overrun by the barbarous invaders under various denominations from the remotest borders of Europe, the western emperors for some time continued to hold the title without the power of royalty.

The emperor Honorius lived till he saw himself stripped of the greatest part of his dominions, his capital taken by the Goths, Pannonia seized upon by the Huns, the Alans, Suevi, and Vandals established in Spain, and the Burgun

dians settled in Gaul, where the Goths also fixed themselves at last. After some time, the inhabitants of Rome also, being abandoned by their princes, feebly attempted to take the supreme power into their own hands. Armorica and Britain, seeing themselves forsaken, began to regulate themselves by their own laws. Thus the power of the state was entirely broken, and those who assumed the title of emperors only encountered certain destruction. At length, even the very name of emperor of the West expired upon the abdication of Augustulus; and Odoacer, general of the Heruli, assumed the title of king of

all Italy. Such was the end of this great empire, that had conquered mankind with its arms, and instructed the world with its wisdom; that had risen by temperance, and that fell by luxury; that had been established by a spirit of patriotism, and that sunk into ruin when the empire was become so extensive, that a Roman citizen was but an empty name. Its final dissolution happened about five hundred and twenty-two years after the battle of Pharsalia, a hundred and forty-six after the removal of the imperial seat to Constantinople, and four hundred and seventy-six after the nativity of our Saviour."

THE RHINE.

JTS ROMANTIC SCENERY-JTS MONUMENTS AND MEMORIES.

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OW many epochs and great events of history are connected with the R.nine! Few rivers are so famous as this great stream, which attracts us from almost every point of view. We have here scenes of the greatest beauty. The stream flows

along between banks clad with vines, and crowned with ruined castles, the robber strongholds of former days. Ever and again we come across some quaint old town beside the river. On a moonlight night, such as that represented in our picture, the whole scene seems like fairyland. Let us draw from some of our great writers one or two pictures of these famous spots, and first must come Byron's famous description.

"The castled crag of Drachenfels

Frowns o'er the wide and winding Rhine, Whose breast of waters proudly swells Between the banks which bear the vine;

And hills all rich with blossom'd trees,
And fields which promise corn and wine,
And scattered cities crowning these,
Whose fair white walls along them shine,
Have strew'd a scene which I should see
With double joy wert thou with me.
And peasant girls with deep blue eyes,
And hands which offer early flowers,
Walk smiling o'er this paradise.
Above, the frequent feudal towers
Through green leaves lift their walls of gray;
And many a rock which steeply lowers,
And noble arch in proud decay,
Look o'er this vale of vintage-bowers;
But one thing want these banks of Rhine-
Thy gentle hand to clasp in mine!"

In Bulwer Lytton's interesting romance of the "Pilgrims of the Rhine," we have some very fine pictures of Rhine scenery.

"On leaving Cologne, the stream winds round among banks that do not yet fulfil the promise of the Rhine; but they increase in interest as you leave Surdt and Godorf. The peculiar character of the river does not, however. really appear, until by degrees the Seven Mountains, and The Castled Crag of Drachenfels' above them all, break upon the eye. Around Neider

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