go

dressed out in their habit of ceremony, which was a white garment. The porch (which answers to our hall) was the place where the clients interchanged civilities one with another, till the patron was in the humour to be seen, or till they received notice that his honour had made his escape from their compliments at a back-door. But if this man of importance thought it proper to give them fair play, and out at his porch in a public manner, his court of clients pressed about his chair. Some signalized their zeal in keeping off the crowd; others distinguished themselves by endeavouring to get as near as possible to his person, as well to see him, as to be seen by him. Generally speaking, an inferior failed not to stand up, when a great man came into the places of public assembly; to remain uncovered in his presence, and to place him in the middle; to give him the righthand in walking with him; to stop short, if he happened to pass by; to leave him a free passage, and the rising part of the pavement, if he chanced to meet him in the street.

In paying a visit, the visitor was obliged to notify himself by a set form; after which he was admitted into the apartment by an officer, in the nature of an introductor. Neither was any one exempt from this formality, but by the free

dom of a great familiarity, or by the privilege of certain public days, such as the first of January, or the birth-day of the patron; for then he gave himself up to receive the compliments of all that came. Their feasts and entertainments had likewise their settled laws and regulations, which are sufficiently known, and would be too tedious to enumerate. When any one had the honour of treating a grandee, the choice of the guests was always left to him; and they were invited by the host, in his name. On the other hand, if you were invited to his table, you came your habit of ceremony. The rule of civility consisted, not in offering to take the lowest place, but in going to the seat allotted for you by the master of the house. There was a carver always to cut up the dishes, and to help the guests, which was often performed to the sound of instruments.

in

There was no coming at employments, but by the suffrages of the people; which made the ambitious great men very affable. They who stood for places, were obliged to caress the meanest citizen. The candidates, when they had first received with smiles all who came to compliment them in the morning, went through the city to canvass votes, dressed in white, and attended by their relations, their friends, and

their clients. The principal magistrates who interested themselves for a candidate, went his rounds with him, and recommended him to the people; while he (with a prompter at his elbow) saluted every one by his name, and embraced those he happened to meet in his walks.

In the public places of rendezvous, the citizens practised upon each other the civility of embracing and kissing; and generally meant as little as we do by those cordialities. This method of caressing, which was the ordinary manner of salutation, grew to be such a nuisance, through the number of unsavoury hearty fellows who disgusted the fine gentlemen with a close hug, that Tiberius was at last obliged, in defence of the beaux, to abolish it by an edict: but in all probability it was not long observed, since Martial complains of this polite grievance.

Notwithstanding what has been said, I must observe, to the honour of the Romans, that they gave the same respect to age as they paid to quality, and never refused a due reverence to grey hairs. Their modesty likewise with regard to their nearest relations was so great, that a father, or father-in-law, was never seen to bathe with a son, or a son-in-law.

From this general view of the civilities and ceremonies practised in a very populous city,

near two thousand years ago, my readers will see, that if a degenerate polite Roman were to rise and appear in London, his behaviour would not seem awkward to us; and that he might, without inquiring into our customs, either get a place at court, or make as good an interest to serve in parliament for London or Westminster, as any of the present representatives. What I have to observe farther to my worthy countrymen (as a moral to the whole) is, that this brave people, who, while they preserved their homebred simplicity, gave laws to mankind, did not long maintain their greatness, their virtue, nor their liberties, after they became so excessively complaisant and well-bred.

FREE-THINKER, No. 25, June 16, 1718.

No. X.

Pasces in cruce corvos.

HORAT.

-You expose

His carcase as a food for crows.

I

HAVE as just a veneration as any man living for the laws of my native country: they are generous, mild, and gentle, built on equal foundations of justice and mercy; and, to say all in a word, they are such as every freeman would wish to be governed by. I am so far from denying them the reverence they deserve, that I have always read with pleasure the most elaborate and strained encomiums, with which the gentlemen of the robe fill their writings on this subject.

But since it is the most desirable, among all the advantages of liberty, to think and speak freely; it cannot, I hope, be offensive, if I declare myself not well satisfied with any arguments I have yet heard in defence of capital punishment for certain crimes, which are low and frequent, and which carry, methinks, no proportion, in comparison with others of a much blacker complexion; to which, notwith