I fent to Calvus would be made public, than I fufpect that this will: and you are ferable that a letter defigned to go no farther than the hand to which it is addreffed, is written in a very different namer from one intended for general pection. But you think, it seems, that I have spoken in higher terms of his abilities than truth will juftify. It was my real opinion, however, that he poffeed a great genius: and notwithstandng that he mifapplied it by a wrong cadice of that particular fpecies of elocoence which he adopted, yet he certainly dkovered great judgment in his execuDon. In a word, his compofitions were marked with a vein of uncommon erudition; but they wanted a certain ftrength and ípirit of colouring to render them perfectly finished. It was the attainment therefore of this quality, that I endeavoured to recommend to his purfuit: and the feafoning of advice with applaufe, has a wonderful efficacy in firing the geEs and animating the efforts of those the withes to perfuade. This was the true motive of the praises I beftowed up on Calvus; of whofe talents I really had a very high opinion. I have only farther to affure you, that affectionate wishes attend you in your Journey; that I fhall impatiently expect your return; that I fhall faithfully preferve you in my remembrance; and that I fhall footh the uneafinefs of your abfence by keeping up this epiftolary commerce. Let me intreat you to reflect on your part, on the many and great good ofices I have received at your hands: and which though you may forget, I never tan, without being guilty of a moft unparnable ingratitude. It is impoffible indeed you fhould reflect on the obligations you have conferred upon me, without believing, not only that I have fome meit, but that I think of you with the higheft efteem and affection. Farewel. Philoxenus. His eftate (as the affair has been reprefented to me) has been illegally feized for the ufe of the public: and if this fhould be the truth, your own equity, without any other recommendation, will fufficiently incline you to fee that justice is done him. But whatever the circumftances of his cafe may be, I request it as an honour to myself, and an honour too of the moft obliging kind, that you would in this, and in every other article in which he is concerned, favour him with your affiftance: fo far, I mean, as fhall not be inconfiftent with the honour and dignity of your character. Farewel, LETTER LXXXIX. To the fame. [A. U. 706.] LUCIUS Bruttius, a young man of thofe with whom I am most particularly equeftrian rank, is in the number of intimate: there has been a great friendhip likewife between his father and myfelf, ever fince I was quæftor in Sicily. He diftinguishes me by peculiar marks of his observance; and is adorned with every fent my guest: but I moft earnestly revaluable accomplishment. He is at precommend his family, his affairs, and his confer upon me a moft acceptable obliagents, to your protection. You will gation, by giving him reafon to find (as indeed I have ventured to affure him he undoubtedly will) that this letter fhall have proved much to his advantage. Farewel. To Lucius Papirius Patus. [A. U. 706.] Is it true, my friend, that you look up on yourself as having been guilty of a moft ridiculous piece of folly, in attempting to imitate the thunder, as you call it, of my eloquence? With reafon indeed you might have thought fo, had you failed in your attempt: but fince you have excelled the model you had in view, the difgrace furely is on my fide, not on yours. The verfe therefore which you apply to yourself from one of Trabea's comedies, may with much more juftice be turned upon me: as my own eloquence falls far fhort of that perfection at which I aim. E 2 But But tell me, what fort of figure do my letters make are they not written, think you, in the true familiar? They do not conftantly, however, preferve one uniform manner; as this fpecies of compofition bears no resemblance to that of the oratorical kind: though indeed in judicial matters, we vary our ftyle according to the nature of the caufes in which we are engaged. Thofe, for example, in which private interefts of little moment are concerned, we treat with a fuitable fimplicity of diction; but where the reputation or the life of our client is in queftion, we rife into greater pomp and dignity of phrafe. But whatever may be the fubject of my letters, they ftill fpeak the language of converfation. Farewel. fo fevere, that it is a folly to expect any thing will be fufficient for that purpose. Nevertheless there are fome inftances, perhaps, in which we may prove of mutual affistance to each other. For fince my return to Rome, you must know, I am reconciled to thofe old companions of mine, my books. Not that I was eftranged from them out of any disgust; but that I could not look upon them without fome fort of fhame. It feemed, indeed, that I had ill obferved their precepts, when I joined with perfidious affociates in taking part in our public commotions. They are willing, however, to pardon my error, and invite me to renew my former acquaintance with them; applauding at the fame time your fuperior wildom, in never having forfaken their fociety. Thus reftored, therefore, as I am to their good graces, may I not hope, if I can unite your company with theirs, to fupport myfelf under the preffure of our prefent and impending calamities? Wherever then you shall choose I fhould join you, be it at Tufculum, at Cuma, or at Rome, I fhall mot readily obey your fummons. The place I last named would indeed be the leaft acceptable to [A. U. 707.] DEmocritus of Sicyon is not only my hoft, but (what I can fay of few of his countrymen befide) he is likewife my very intimate friend. He is a perfon indeed of the highest probity and merit, and diftinguished for his moft generous and polite hofpitality towards thofe who have received particular marks of his afcome under his roof; in which number [ have received particular marks of his affection and esteem. In one word, you Varro's books were his companions, it feems, in the camp as well as in the clofet, and he was never wholly feparated from them, it appears, even amidit the moit active engagements of public life. 1 He was at this time proconful, or governor of Sicily, and diftinguished himiclf by his care and diligence in tranfporting the troops which Cæfar received from thence in order to carry on the war in will wind him a man of the first and most LETTER XCIV. [A. U. 707-] The chiefs of the Cæfarean party; with whom Cicero now found it convenient to cultivate a fredthip, in order to ingratiate himself with you never loved) had not looked upon happy fituation, that though there is a was foftened with that too delicate fen fibility which we who paffed our lives in Pompey; who being jealous of the popularity Mefcinius, it is probable, was banished by ftance from Rome. therefore of thefe illiterat is my refolution to join yo Scully. I know not how it is in tit thould feem that our favourit are attended with much greate antages in thefe wretched times, than merly; whether it be that they ar ow our only refource; or that we were eis fenfible of their falutary eff. cts, wher we were in too happy a ftate to have oc cution to experience them.-But this is ending owls to Athens †, as we fay; and uggesting reflections which your own mind will far better fupply. All that I mean by them, however, is to draw a letter from you in return, at the fame time that I give you notice to expect me foon. Farewel. LETTER XCVI, [A. U. 787.] OUR friend Caminius paid me a vifit fome time ago very late in the evening, and informed me that he purpofed to fet out for your houfe the next morning. I told him I would give him two or three lines to deliver to you, and defired he would call for them in the morn ing. Accordingly I wrote to you that night but as he did not return, I imagined he had forgotten his promife; and fhould therefore have fent that letter by one of my own domeftics, if Caninius had not affured me of your intention to leave Tufculum the next morning. However, after a few days had intervened, and I had given over all expectations of Caninius, he made me a fecond vifit, and acquainted me that he was inftantly fetting out to you. But notwithstanding the letter I had written was then become altogether out of date, efpecially after the arrival of fuch important news §; yet as I was unwilling that any of my profound lucubrations thould be loft, I delivered it into the hands of that very learned and affectionate friend of yours; who I fuppofe has acquainted you with the con A proverbial expreffion of the fame import with that of "fending coals to Newcaftie." It alludes to the Athenian coin, which was stamped (as Manutius obferves) with the figure of an owl. Probably the preceding letter. § Concerning Cæfar's defeat of Scipio in A verfation vention which passed between us at the fame time. : I think it most prudent for both of us to avoid the view at leaft, if we cannot fely efcape the remarks,' of the world. For those who are elevated with this victor look down upon us with an air of triumph and thofe who regret it, are pleated that we did not facrifice our hves in the caufe. But you will ask, perhaps as it is in Rome that we are partirarly expofed to these mortifications), why I have not followed your example in retiring from the city? But tell me, my friend, fuperior as your judgment confelfedly is, did you never find yourself mitaken? Or who is there, in times of fuch total darkness and confufion, that tan always be fure of directing his fteps right? I have long thought, indeed, that would be happy for me to retire where I might neither fee nor hear what paffes Rome. But my groundlefs fufpicions dicouraged me from executing this cheme: as I was apprehenfive that those who might accidentally meet me on my way, would put fuch conftructions upon my retreat as beft fuited with their own purpofes. Some, I imagined, would fufeft, or at leaft pretend to fufpect, that was either driven from Rome by my fs, or withdrew in order to form fome revolution abroad; and, perhaps too, would report, that 1 had actually provided a fhip for that purpose. Others, I feared, who knew me beft, and might be difpofed to think moft favourably of my actions, would be apt to impute my recefs to an abhorrence of a certain party *. It thefe apprehenfions that have hitherto, Contrary to my inclinations indeed, detained me in Rome: but cuftom, however, has familiarifed the unpleafing kene, and gradually hardened me into a les exquifite fenfibility. Thus I have laid before the moyou tives which induce me to continue here. As to what relates to your own conduct; I would advise you to remain in your prefent retirement, till the warmth of our public exultation fhall be fomewhat abated, and it fhall certainly be known in what manner affairs abroad are terminated; for terminated, I am well perfaded they are t. Much will depend on the general result of this battle, and [A. U. 707.] OUR friend Caninius acquainted me Cæfar's fuccefs in Africa; but the particulars of Cæfar returned victorious from Africa, about E 4 his |