ture of prodigy and fable has, in every age, been fupposed to reflect a becoming majefty on the origin of great cities ", the emperor was defirous of afcribing his refolution, not fo much to the uncertain counfels of human policy, as to the infallible and eternal decrees of divine wisdom. In one of his laws he has been careful to inftruct pofterity, that, in obedience to the commands of God, he laid the everlasting foundations of Conftantinople": and though he has not condefcended to relate in what manner the cœleftial infpiration was communicated to his mind, the defect of his modeft filence has been liberally fupplied by the ingenuity of fucceeding writers; who defcribe the nocturnal vifion which appeared to the fancy of Conftantine as he slept within the walls of Byzantium. The tutelar genius of the city, a venerable matron finking under the weight of years and infirmities, was fuddenly transformed into a blooming maid, whom his own handsadorned with all the fymbols of Imperial greatnefs". The monarch awoke, interpreted the aufpicious omen, and obeyed, without hesitation, the will of heaven. The day which gave birth to a city or colony was celebrated by the Romans with fuch ceremonies as had been ordained by a generous fuperftition"; and though Conftantine might omit fome rites which favoured too ftrongly of their Pagan origin, yet he was anxious to leave a deep impreffion of hope and refpect on the minds of the fpectators. On foot, with a lance in his hand, the emperor himfelf led the folemn procef

CHAP.

XVII.

XVII.

CHAP. fion; and directed the line, which was traced as the boundary of the deftined capital: till the growing circumference was observed with aftonishment by the affiftants, who, at length, ventured to observe, that he had already exceeded the most ample measure of a great city. I shall ftill advance, replied Conftantine, the invisible guide who marches before me,

. Extent.

دو

thinks و

دو

till HE,

proper to ftop ". "Without prefuming to

investigate the nature or motives of this extraordinary conductor, we shall content ourfelves with the more humble task of defcribing the extent and limits of Conftantinople ".

30

In the actual state of the city, the palace and gardens of the Seraglio occupy the eastern promontory, the first of the feven hills, and cover about one hundred and fifty acres of our own measure. The feat of Turkish jealoufy and defpotifm is erected on the foundations of a Grecian republic: but it may be fuppofed that the Byzantins were tempted by the conveniency of the harbour to extend their habitations on that fide beyond the modern limits of the Seraglio. The new walls of Constantine stretched from the port to the Propontis across the enlarged breadth of the triangle, at the distance of fifteen ftadia from the ancient fortification; and with the city of Byzantium they inclofed five of the feven hills, which, to the eyes of those who approach Conftantinople, appear to rife above each other in beautiful order ", About a century after the death of the founder the new buildings, extending on one fide up the

38

33

XVII.

harbour, and on the other along the Propontis, CHAP. already covered the narrow ridge of the fixth, and the broad fummit of the feventh hill. The neceffity of protecting thofe fuburbs from the inceffant inroads of the Barbarians, engaged the younger Theodofius to furround his capital with an adequate and permanent inclofure of walls ". From the eastern promontory to the golden gate, the extreme length of Conftantinople was about three Roman miles "; the circumference measured between ten and eleven; and the furface might be computed as equal to about two thousand English acres. It is impoffible to justify the vain and credulous exaggerations of modern travellers, who have fometimes ftretched the limits of Conftantinople over the adjacent villages of the European, and even of the Afiatic coaft ". But the suburbs of Pera and Galata, though fituate beyond the harbour, may deferve to be confidered as a part of the city ; and this addition may perhaps authorise the measure of a Byzantine hiftorian who affigns fixteen Greek (about fourteen Roman) miles for the circumference of his native city Such an extent may feem not unworthy of an Imperial refidence. Yet Conftantinople must yield to Babylon and Thebes ", to ancient Rome, to London, and even to Paris ".

35

38

34

36

the work.

The mafter of the Roman world, who afpired Progrefs of to erect an eternal monument of the glories of his reign, could employ in the profecution of that great work the wealth, the labour, and all that yet remained of the genius of obedient millions.

XVII.

CHAP. Some estimate may be formed of the expence bestowed with Imperial liberality on the foundation of Conftantinople, by the allowance of about two millions five hundred thousand pounds for the conftruction of the walls, the porticoes, and the aqueducts ". The forefts that overshadowed the shores of the Euxine and the celebrated quarries of white marble in the little island of Proconnefus, fupplied an inexhaustible stock of materials, ready to be conveyed, by the convenience of a short water-carriage, to the harbour of Byzantium". A multitude of labourers and artificers urged the conclufion of the work with inceffant toil: but the impatience of Conftantine foon discovered, that, in the decline of the arts the skill as well as numbers of his architects bore a very unequal proportion to the greatnefs of his defigns. The magiftrates of the most diftant provinces were therefore directed to inftitute schools, to appoint profeffors, and, by the hopes of rewards and privileges, to engage in the study and practice of architecture a fufficient number of ingenious youths, who had received a liberal education ". The buildings of the new city were executed by fuch artificers as the reign of Conftantine could afford; but they were decorated by the hands of the most celebrated masters of the age of Pericles and Alexander. To revive the genius of Phidias and Lyfippus, furpaffed indeed the power of a Roman emperor; but the immortal productions which they had bequeathed to pofterity were exposed without defence to the rapacious vanity of

XVII.

a defpot. By his commands the cities of Greece CHAP. and Afia were defpoiled of their most valuable ornaments. The trophies of memorable wars, the objects of religious veneration veneration, the most finished ftatues of the gods and heroes, of the fages and poets of ancient times, contributed to the fplendid triumph of Conftantinople; and gave occafion to the remark of the hiftorian Cedrenus 43 who obferves, with fome enthusiasm, that nothing feemed wanting except the fouls of the illuftrious men whom thofe admirable monuments were intended to reprefent. But it is not in the city of Conftantine, nor in the declining period of an empire, when the human mind was depreffed by civil and religious slavery, that we should feek for the fouls of Homer and of Demofthenes.

44

During the fiege of Byzantium, the conqueror Edifices. had pitched his tent on the commanding eminence of the fecond hill. To perpetuate the memory of his fuccefs, he chose the fame advantagous pofition for the principal Forum **; which appears to have been of a circular, or rather elliptical form. The two oppofite entrances formed triumphal arches; the porticoes, which inclosed it on every fide, were filled with ftatues; and the centre of the Forum was occupied by a lofty column, of which a mutilated fragment is now degraded by the appellation of the burnt pillar. This column was erected on a pedestal of white marble twenty feet high; and was compofed of ten pieces of porphyry, each of which measured about ten feet in height, and about thirty-three in circumference ".