' by his wisdom the valour of the legions.

tionate obstinacy of the senate. Five hundred voices repeated at once, in eloquent confusion, that the greatest of the Roman princes, Numa, Trajan, Hadrian, and theAntonines, had ascended the throne in a very advanced season of life ; that the mind, 'not the body, a sovereign, not a soldier, was the object of their choice; and that they expected from him no more than to guide These pressing though tumultuary instances were seconded by a more regular oration of Metius Falconius, the next on the consular bench to Tacitus himself. He reminded the assembly of the evils which Rome had endured from the vices of headstrong and capricious youths, congratulated them on the election of a virtuous and experienced senator, and, with a manly, though perhaps a selfish, freedom, exhorted Tacitus to remember'the reasons of his elevation, and to seek a successor, not in his own family, but in the republic. The speech of Falconius was enforced by a general acclamation. The emperor elect submitted to the authority of his country, and received the voluntary homage of his equals.

* torian guards ".

The administration of Tacitus was not unworthy of his life and principles. A grateful servant of the senate, he considered that national

of the laws ". He studiedv to heal the wounds which Imperial pride, civil discord, and military violence, had inflicted on the constitution, and to restore, at least, the image of the ancient republic, as it had been preserved by the policy of Augustus, and the virtues of Trajan and the Anatonines. It may not be useless to recapitulate some of the most important prerogatives which the senate appeared to have regained by the eleco tion of Tacitus '3. I. To invest one of their

body, under the title of emperor, with the ge

neral command of the armies and the govern-'

ment of the frontier provinces. 2. To determine the list, or as it was then styled, the College of Consuls. They were twelve in number, who, in succesiive pairs, each, during the space of two mouths, filled the year, and represented the dignity of that ancient office. The authority of the senate, in the nomination of the consuls, was exercised with such independent freedom, that no regard was paid to an irregular request of the emperor in favour of his brother Florianus.

" The senate," exclaimed Tacitus, with the ho. '

VOL. II. F

3. To appoint the proconsuls and 'presidents of
the provinces, and to confer on all the magi-
strates their civil jurisdiction. 4. To receive ap-
peals through the intermediate office of the prae-
sect of the city from all the tribunals of the em-
pire. 5. To give force and validity, by their
decrees, to such as they should approve of the
emperor's edicts. 6. To these several branches
of authority, we may add some inspection over-
the finances, since, even in the stern reign of _
Aurelian, it was in their power to divert a part
of the revenue from the public service ".

Circular epistles were sent, without delay, to all the principal cities of the empire, Treves,

** emerge from your retirements of Baiae and

valry. They were faithful to their engagements;
but when they arrived on the Roman frontier,
Aurelian was already dead, the design of the,
Perfian war was at least suspended, and the ge-
nerals, who, during their interregnum, exercised
a doubtful authority, were unprepared either to
Provoked by such
treatment, which they considered as trilling and > A
perfidious, the Alani had recourse to their own

valour for their payment and revenge; and as
they moved with the usual swiftness of Tartars,
they had soon spread themselves over the pro-
vinces of PontUS, Cappadocia, Cilicia, and Ga-
latia. The legions, who from the opposite shores
of the Bosphorus could almost distinguish the
flames Kof the cities and villages, impatiently
urged their general to lead them against the in-
vaders. - The conduct of Tacitus was suitable to
his age and station. He convinced the barba*
rians, of the saith, as well as of the power, of "
the empire. Great numbers of the Alani, ap.
peased'by the punctual discharge of the engage.