LIII.

CHAP. piness of mankind. Not a fingle idea has been added to the fpeculative systems of antiquity, and a fucceffion of patient difciples became in their turn the dogmatic teachers of the next fervile generation. Not a fingle compofition of hiftory, philofophy, or literature, has been faved from oblivion by the intrinfic beauties of style or sentiment, of original fancy, or even of fuccessful imitation. In profe, the least offenfive of the Byzantine writers are abfolved from cenfure by their naked and unprefuming fimplicity; but the orators, most eloquent 112 in their own conceit, are the farthest removed from the models whom they affect to emulate. In every page our taste and reafon are wounded by the choice of gigantic and obfolete words, a stiff and intricate phraseology, the difcord of images, the childish play of falfe or unfeafonable ornament, and the painful attempt to elevate themselves, to astonish the reader, and to involve a trivial meaning in the fmoke of obfcurity' and exaggeration. Their profe is foaring to the vicious affectation of poetry: their poetry is finking below the flatness and infipidity of profe. The tragic, epic, and lyric mufes, were filent and inglorious: the bards of Conftantinople feldom rofe above a riddle or epigram, a panegyric or tale; they forgot even the rules of profody; and with the melody of Homer yet founding in their ears, they confound all measure of feet and fyllables in the impotent strains which have received the name

112 To cenfure the Byzantine tafte, Ducange (Prefat. Gloff. Græc. p. 17.) ftrings the authorities of Aulus Gellius, Jerom Petronius, George Hamartolus, Longinus; who give at once the precept and the example.

of

t

LIII.

of political or city verfes "3. The minds of the CHAP.
Greeks were bound in the fetters of a bafe and
imperious fuperftition, which extends her domi-
nion round the circle of profane fcience. Their
understandings were bewildered in metaphyfical
controverfy in the belief of vifions and miracles,
they had lost all principles of moral evidence, and
their taste was vitiated by the homilies of the
monks, an abfurd medley of declamation and
fcripture. Even these contemptible studies were
no longer dignified by the abuse of superior ta-
lents the leaders of the Greek church were hum-
bly content to admire and copy the oracles of an-
tiquity, nor did the schools or pulpit produce any
rivals of the fame of Athanafius and Chryfof-

tom 114.

In all the pursuits of active and fpeculative life, Want of national the emulation of states and individuals is the most emulation. powerful spring of the efforts and improvements of mankind. The cities of ancient Greece were cast in the happy mixture of union and independence, which is repeated on a larger fcale, but in a looser form, by the nations of modern Europe: the union of language, religion, and manners, which renders them the spectators and judges of each other's merit "'": the independence of government and intereft, which afferts their feparate freedom,

115

113 The verfus politici, those common prostitutes, as, from their eafinefs, they are styled by Leo Allatius, usually consist of fifteen fyllables. They are used by Conftantine Manaffes, John Tzetzes, &c. (Ducange, Gloss. Latin. tom. iii. p. i. p. 345, 346. edit. Bafil, 1762.)

114 As St. Bernard of the Latin, fo St. John Damafcenus in the viiith century, is revered as the last father of the Greek, church. 15 Hume's Effays, vol. i. p. 125.

CHAP. and excites them to ftrive for pre-eminence in the
LIII. career of glory. The fituation of the Romans

was lefs favourable; yet in the early ages of
the republic, which fixed the national character,
a fimilar emulation was kindled among the states
of Latium and Italy; and, in the arts and sci-
ences, they afpired to equal or furpass their
Grecian masters. The empire of the Cæfars
undoubtedly checked the activity and progrefst
of the human mind; its magnitude might in-
deed allow fome fcope for domestic compe
tition; but when it was gradually reduced,
at first to the Eaft and at laft to Greece and
Conftantinople, the Byzantine subjects were de-
graded to an abject and languid temper, the
natural effect of their folitary and infulated
ftate. From the North they were oppreffed by
nameless tribes of Barbarians, to whom they
fcarcely imparted the appellation of men.
language and religion of the more polished
Arabs were an unfurmountable bar to all focial
intercourfe. The conquerors of Europe were
their brethren in the Chriftian faith; but the
fpeech of the Franks or Latins was unknown,
their manners were rude, and they were rarely
connected, in peace or war, with the fucceffors
of Heraclius. Alone in the universe, the self-
fatisfied pride of the Greeks was not disturbed
by the comparifon of foreign merit;
merit; and
it is no wonder if they fainted in the race,
fince they had neither competitors to urge
their speed, nor judges to crown their victory.
The nations of Europe and Afia were mingled

The

by

LIII.

by the expeditions to the Holy Land; and it CHAP. is under the Comnenian dynasty that a faint emulation of knowledge and military virtue was rekindled in the Byzantine empire,

M 3

CHAP.

LIV.

Supine fuperftition of the Greek church.

CHAP. LIV.

Origin and Doctrine of the Paulicians.-Their
Perfecution by the Greek Emperors.-Revolt in
Armenia, &c.-Transplantation into Thrace.-
Propagation in the Weft.-The Seeds, Character,
and Confequences of the Reformation.

N the profeffion of Chriftianity, the variety of

I national characters may be clearly distinguished.

The natives of Syria and Egypt abandoned their lives to lazy and contemplative devotion: Rome again aspired to the dominion of the world; and the wit of the lively and loquacious Greeks was confumed in the difputes of metaphyfical theology. The incomprehenfible myfteries of the Trinity and Incarnation, inftead of commanding their filent fubmiffion, were agitated in vehement and fubtle controverfies, which enlarged their faith at the expence perhaps of their charity and reafon. From the council of Nice to the end of the seventh century, the peace and unity of the church was invaded by these fpiritual wars; and fo deeply did they affect the decline and fall of the empire, that the hiftorian has too often been compelled to attend the fynods, to explore the creeds, and to enumerate the fects, of this bufy period of ecclefiaftical annals. From the beginning of the eighth century to the laft ages of the Byzantine empire the found of controverfy was seldom heard: curiofity was exhausted, zeal was

fatigued,