exercises. We shall only
remark, that they comprehended whatever could add strength to the body,
activity to the limbs, or grace to the motions. The soldiers were
diligently instructed to march, to run, to leap, to swim, to carry heavy
burdens, to handle every species of arms that was used either for
offence or for defence, either in distant engagement or in a closer
onset; to form a variety of evolutions; and to move to the sound of
flutes in the Pyrrhic or martial dance. [38] In the midst of peace, the
Roman troops familiarized themselves with the practice of war; and it is
prettily remarked by an ancient historian who had fought against them,
that the effusion of blood was the only circumstance which distinguished
a field of battle from a field of exercise. [39] It was the policy of
the ablest generals, and even of the emperors themselves, to encourage
these military studies by their presence and example; and we are
informed that Hadrian, as well as Trajan, frequently condescended to
instruct the unexperienced soldiers, to reward the diligent, and
sometimes to dispute with them the prize of superior strength or
dexterity. [40] Under the reigns of those princes, the science of
tactics was cultivated with success; and as long as the empire retained
any vigor, their military instructions were respected as the most
perfect model of Roman discipline.

[Footnote 36: Exercitus ab exercitando, Varro de Lingua Latina, l.
iv. Cicero in Tusculan. l. ii. 37. 15. There is room for a very
interesting work, which should lay open the connection between the
languages and manners of nations. * Note I am not aware of the
existence, at present, of such a work; but the profound observations of
the late William von Humboldt, in the introduction to his posthumously
published Essay on the Language of the Island of Java, (uber die
Kawi-sprache, Berlin, 1836,) may cause regret that this task was not
completed by that accomplished and universal scholar.--M.]

[Footnote 37: Vegatius, l. ii. and the rest of his first book.]

[Footnote 38: The Pyrrhic dance is extremely well illustrated by M.
le Beau, in the Academie des Inscriptions, tom. xxxv. p. 262, &c. That
learned academician, in a series of memoirs, has collected all the
passages of the ancients that relate to the Roman legion.]

[Footnote 39: Joseph. de Bell. Judaico, l. iii. c. 5. We are indebted to
this Jew for some very curious details of Roman discipline.]

[Footnote 40: Plin. Pa