inglorious: the bards of Constantinople seldom rose above a riddle or
epigram, a panegyric or tale; they forgot even the rules of prosody; and
with the melody of Homer yet sounding in their ears, they confound
all measure of feet and syllables in the impotent strains which have
received the name of political or city verses. [113] The minds of the
Greek were bound in the fetters of a base and imperious superstition
which extends her dominion round the circle of profane science. Their
understandings were bewildered in metaphysical controversy: in the
belief of visions and miracles, they had lost all principles of moral
evidence, and their taste was vitiates by the homilies of the monks,
an absurd medley of declamation and Scripture. Even these contemptible
studies were no longer dignified by the abuse of superior talents: the
leaders of the Greek church were humbly content to admire and copy the
oracles of antiquity, nor did the schools of pulpit produce any rivals
of the fame of Athanasius and Chrysostom. [114]

[Footnote 112: To censure the Byzantine taste. Ducange (Praefat. Gloss.
Graec. p. 17) strings the authorities of Aulus Gellius, Jerom, Petronius
George Hamartolus, Longinus; who give at once the precept and the
example.]

[Footnote 113: The versus politici, those common prostitutes, as, from
their easiness, they are styled by Leo Allatius, usually consist of
fifteen syllables. They are used by Constantine Manasses, John Tzetzes,
&c. (Ducange, Gloss. Latin. tom. iii. p. i. p. 345, 346, edit. Basil,
1762.)]

[Footnote 114: As St. Bernard of the Latin, so St. John Damascenus in
the viiith century is revered as the last father of the Greek, church.]

In all the pursuits of active and speculative life, the emulation of
states and individuals is the most 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
scale, 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; [115] the independence of government
and interest, which asserts their separate freedom, and excites them
to strive for preeminence in the career of glory. The situation of the
Romans was less favorable; yet in the early ages of the republic, which
fixed the national character, a similar emulation was kindled among th