Read from a distance of 14 inches

No. 1. No. 7.
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  In the second century of the Christian era, the empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part
of the earth, and the most civilized portion of mankind. The frontiers of that extensive monarchy were
able treaty, the restitution of the standards and prisoners
guarded by ancient renown and disciplined valor. The gentle but powerful influence of laws and
mannersthe
had gradually of
cemented
wealth the union of the provinces. Their peaceful inhabitants enjoyed and
abused advantages  whi ch had bee n take n in the def eat of Cra ssus . His gen -
erals, in the early part of his reign, attempted the reduction
No. 2.
of Ethiopia and Arabia Felix. They marched near a thou-
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 four scor e year s, the publ ic admin ist rat ion was cond ucte d by the vir tue and abil itie s of 
Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the two Antonines. It is the design of this and of the two
succeeding chapters, to describe the prosperous condition of their empire; and after- No. 8.
 war ds, from the deat h of Marc us Ant onin us, to deduc e the most impo rta nt circ umst ance s
of its decline and fall; a revolution which will ever be remembered, and is still felt by 
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sand miles to the south of the tropic; but the heat of 
No. 3.
the climate soon repelled the invaders, and protected
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the unwarlike natives of those sequestered regions
the nations of the earth. The principal conquests of the Romans were achieved
under the republic; and the emperors, for the most part, were satisfied with pre-
serving those dominions which had been acquired by the policy of the senate, the
active emulations of the consuls, and the martial enthusiasm of the people. The No. 9.
seven first centuries were filled with a rapid succession of triumphs; but it was 2.00M
No. 4.  Th e no r th er n co un trie
tr ie s of Eu ro pe sc ar ce ly de -
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reserved fo r Augustus to reli nq ui sh the amb i ti o us desi gn o f sub dui ng the
 who le ea rt h, an d t o i ntr odu ce a spi rit of mod er ati on int o t he pub lic cou nci ls .  Th e fo re sts
st s an d mo ra ss es of Ger ma ny we re
Incli ned to peace b y hi s temper and si tuati o n, i t w as very easy fo r hi m to
di sco ver that Ro me, i n her present exalted si tuati o n, had much less to
ho pe than to fear fro m the chance o f arms; and that, i n the pro secuti o n o f 
No . 10.
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No. 5.
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the undertaking became every day more difficult, the event more
doubtful, and the possession more precarious, and less beneficial.
 wh o de sp is ed li fe wh en it wa s se pa ra te d
 The exp er ie nce of Au gu st us add ed wei gh t to the se sa lut ar y re fl ec -
tions, and effectually convinced him that, by the prudent vigor of   fr om fr ee do m; an d th ou gh , on th e fi rs t 
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his counsels, it would be easy to secure every concession which 2.50M
the safety or the dignity of Rome might require from the most
 fo rm id ab le bar bar ia ns. Ins te ad of exp os ing his pe rs on or hi s
attack, they seemed to yield
legions to the arrows of the Parthians, he obtained, by an honor-
to the weight of the Roman
power, they soon, by a signal

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