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Show l 64 l E 65 ] fliould be f0 immerfed in Debt, as we find by their own Hifiorians they continually were, when Riches a few Grandees, the Leaders of Armies, the Governors of Provinces, the Minions of the we refie€t, that their military Life indifpofed Populace, or the Harpies of Opprefiion might them for Agriculture or Manufac‘tures, and that have amalfed together, the great Majority of their lfiotions of Conquell‘ and of Glory ren. the People were poor prefiion; and while {butting with Pride, as the Ala/fer; of the dered them extravagant, prodigal, and vain. HOWEVER, in this Manner they went on, con- tinuing to extend their Viétories and their 'I‘riumphs; and, after the Triumph, fubfifizing for a while by the Sale of the Lands above-mentioned, or by their Shares in the Divifion of the Booty: But when thefe were fpent, as they quickly were, then they funk into a more wretched State of Poverty than before, eagerly withing for a new War as the only Means of repairing their defperate Fortunes, and clamouring againlt every Perfon that would dare to ap- and miferable beyond EYthe vain VVretches were and elated with lnfolence. [V0715], they had no other Means of fubfifiing, when Peace was made and their PrizeMoney fpent, than to receive a Kind of Alms in Corn from the public Granaries, or to carry about their Bread-Balliets, and beg from Door to Door. Moreover, fuch among them as had chanced to have a Piece of Land left unmortgaged, or fomething valuable to pledge, found, to their Sorrow, that the In- pear as an Advocate for Peace : And thus they tereft of Money (being hardly ever lefs than twelve per Cent.,and frequently more) would enereafed their Sufihrings, infiead of removing ‘ ibon eat up their little Subitance, and reduce them. them to an Equality with the reft of their illuf- AT laf‘t they fubdued the World, as far as it was known at that Time, or thought worth lub~ duing; and then both the Tribute, and the Plunder of the Univerfe were imported into Rome; then, therefore, the Bulk of the Inha- bitants of that City muPt have been exceedingly wealthy, had Wealth confided in Heaps of Gold and Silver; and then likewife, if ever, the Blefling-s of Victory muft have been felt had it been capable of producing any. But alas ! whatever Riches trious Brother-Beggars. Nay, {o extremely low was the Credit of thefe Mafiers of the \Vorld, that they were .trul'ted with the Payment of their Interelt no longer than from Month to Month ;--than which there cannot be a more glaring Proof, both of the abject Poverty, and of the cheating Difpofitions of thefe heroic Ci- tizens-of Imperial Rome. Now this being the undoubted Fact, every humane and benevolent Man, far from confiderI ing |