itions are destitute of taste, or genius; without
the spirit of Tertullian, the copious elegance of Lactantius the lively
wit of Jerom, or the grave energy of Augustin.]

[Footnote 97: According to the discipline of St. Basil, (Canon lvi.,)
the voluntary homicide was four years a mourner; five a hearer; seven in
a prostrate state; and four in a standing posture. I have the original
(Beveridge, Pandect. tom. ii. p. 47-151) and a translation (Chardon,
Hist. des Sacremens, tom. iv. p. 219-277) of the Canonical Epistles of
St. Basil.]

[Footnote 98: The penance of Theodosius is authenticated by Ambrose,
(tom. vi. de Obit. Theodos. c. 34, p. 1207,) Augustin, (de Civitat. Dei,
v. 26,) and Paulinus, (in Vit. Ambros. c. 24.) Socrates is ignorant;
Sozomen (l. vii. c. 25) concise; and the copious narrative of Theodoret
(l. v. c. 18) must be used with precaution.]

[Footnote 99: Codex Theodos. l. ix. tit. xl. leg. 13. The date and
circumstances of this law are perplexed with difficulties; but I feel
myself inclined to favor the honest efforts of Tillemont (Hist. des Emp.
tom. v. p. 721) and Pagi, (Critica, tom. i. p. 578.)]

[Footnote 100: Un prince qui aime la religion, et qui la craint, est
un lion qui cede a la main qui le flatte, ou a la voix qui l'appaise.
Esprit des Loix, l. xxiv. c. 2.]

Chapter XXVII: Civil Wars, Reign Of Theodosius.--Part V.

After the defeat and death of the tyrant of Gaul, the Roman world was in
the possession of Theodosius. He derived from the choice of Gratian his
honorable title to the provinces of the East: he had acquired the West
by the right of conquest; and the three years which he spent in Italy
were usefully employed to restore the authority of the laws, and
to correct the abuses which had prevailed with impunity under the
usurpation of Maximus, and the minority of Valentinian. The name of
Valentinian was regularly inserted in the public acts: but the tender
age, and doubtful faith, of the son of Justina, appeared to require the
prudent care of an orthodox guardian; and his specious ambition might
have excluded the unfortunate youth, without a struggle, and
almost without a murmur, from the administration, and even from the
inheritance, of the empire. If Theodosius had consulted the rigid maxims
of interest and policy, his conduct would have been justified by his
friends; but the generosity of his behavior on this memorable occasion
has extorted the applause of his most inveterate