sdom,
though he himself disclaimed it, constant to the principles which he
professed, of an eloquence worthy to deal with the mightiest subjects,
scorning mere prettinesses and verbal niceties, but expressing with
infinite spirit, the ideas which inspired it. I doubt not that he was
endowed by divine providence with so pure a life and such power of
speech in order that our age might neither be without a model nor a
reproach. Had some god wished to give all our wealth to Demetrius on the
fixed condition that he should not be permitted to give it away, I am
sure that he would have refused to accept it, and would have said,

IX. "I do not intend to fasten upon my back a burden like this, of which
I never can rid myself, nor do I, nimble and lightly equipped as I am,
mean to hinder my progress by plunging into the deep morass of business
transactions. Why do you offer to me what is the bane of all nations?
I would not accept it even if I meant to give it away, for I see many
things which it would not become me to give. I should like to place
before my eyes the things which fascinate both kings and peoples, I wish
to behold the price of your blood and your lives. First bring before
me the trophies of Luxury, exhibiting them as you please, either in
succession, or, which is better, in one mass. I see the shell of
the tortoise, a foul and slothful brute, bought for immense sums and
ornamented with the most elaborate care, the contrast of colours which
is admired in it being obtained by the use of dyes resembling the
natural tints. I see tables and pieces of wood valued at the price of
a senator's estate, which are all the more precious, the more knots
the tree has been twisted into by disease. I see crystal vessels, whose
price is enhanced by their fragility, for among the ignorant the risk of
losing things increases their value instead of lowering it, as it ought.
I see murrhine cups, for luxury would be too cheap if men did not drink
to one another out of hollow gems the wine to be afterwards thrown up
again. I see more than one large pearl placed in each ear; for now our
ears are trained to carry burdens, pearls are hung from them in pairs,
and each pair has other single ones fastened above it. This womanish
folly is not exaggerated enough for the men of our time, unless they
hang two or three estates upon each ear. I see ladies' silk dresses, if
those deserve to be called dresses which can neither cover their body
or their