eleventh book
of the Odyssey,) which he applies to a remote and fabulous country on
the shores of the ocean. See Erasmi Adagia, in his works, tom. ii. p.
593, the Leyden edition.]

[Footnote 43: We may learn from Seneca (epist. cxxiii.) three curious
circumstances relative to the journeys of the Romans. 1. They were
preceded by a troop of Numidian light horse, who announced, by a cloud
of dust, the approach of a great man. 2. Their baggage mules transported
not only the precious vases, but even the fragile vessels of crystal and
murra, which last is almost proved, by the learned French translator
of Seneca, (tom. iii. p. 402-422,) to mean the porcelain of China and
Japan. 3. The beautiful faces of the young slaves were covered with a
medicated crust, or ointment, which secured them against the effects of
the sun and frost.]

[Footnote 44: Distributio solemnium sportularum. The sportuloe, or
sportelloe, were small baskets, supposed to contain a quantity of hot
provisions of the value of 100 quadrantes, or twelvepence halfpenny,
which were ranged in order in the hall, and ostentatiously distributed
to the hungry or servile crowd who waited at the door. This indelicate
custom is very frequently mentioned in the epigrams of Martial, and the
satires of Juvenal. See likewise Suetonius, in Claud. c. 21, in Neron.
c. 16, in Domitian, c. 4, 7. These baskets of provisions were afterwards
converted into large pieces of gold and silver coin, or plate, which
were mutually given and accepted even by persons of the highest rank,
(see Symmach. epist. iv. 55, ix. 124, and Miscell. p. 256,) on solemn
occasions, of consulships, marriages, &c.]

[Footnote 45: The want of an English name obliges me to refer to the
common genus of squirrels, the Latin glis, the French loir; a little
animal, who inhabits the woods, and remains torpid in cold weather, (see
Plin. Hist. Natur. viii. 82. Buffon, Hist. Naturelle, tom. viii. 153.
Pennant's Synopsis of Quadrupeds, p. 289.) The art of rearing and
fattening great numbers of glires was practised in Roman villas as a
profitable article of rural economy, (Varro, de Re Rustica, iii. 15.)
The excessive demand of them for luxurious tables was increased by the
foolish prohibitions of the censors; and it is reported that they are
still esteemed in modern Rome, and are frequently sent as presents by
the Colonna princes, (see Brotier, the last editor of Pliny tom. ii. p.
453. epud Barbou, 1779.)--Note: Is i