o's reign, and during the troubles occasioned by the
disputed succession. But they were all of an inactive character. The
victory obtained by Paulinus had disabled the Britons from any new
attempt. Content, therefore, with recovering the Roman province, these
generals compounded, as it were, with the enemy for the rest of the
island. They caressed the troops; they indulged them in their
licentiousness; and not being of a character to repress the seditions
that continually arose, they submitted to preserve their ease and some
shadow of authority by sacrificing the most material parts of it. And
thus they continued, soldiers and commanders, by a sort of compact, in a
common neglect of all duty on the frontiers of the Empire, in the face
of a bold and incensed enemy.

[Sidenote: A.D. 69]

[Sidenote: A.D. 71]

But when Vespasian arrived to the head of affairs, he caused the vigor
of his government to be felt in Britain, as he had done in all the other
parts of the Empire. He was not afraid to receive great services. His
legates, Cerealis and Frontinus, reduced the Silures and Brigantes,--one
the most warlike, the other the most numerous people in the island. But
its final reduction and perfect settlement were reserved for Julius
Agricola, a man by whom, it was a happiness for the Britons to be
conquered. He was endued with all those bold and popular virtues which
would have given him the first place in the times of the free Republic;
and he joined to them all that reserve and moderation which enabled him
to fill great offices with safety, and made him a good subject under a
jealous despotism.

[Sidenote: A.D. 84.]

Though the summer was almost spent when he arrived in Britain, knowing
how much the vigor and success of the first stroke influences all
subsequent measures, he entered immediately into action. After reducing
some tribes, Mona became the principal object of his attention. The
cruel ravages of Paulinus had not entirely effaced the idea of sanctity
which the Britons by a long course of hereditary reverence had annexed
to that island: it became once more a place of consideration by the
return of the Druids. Here Agricola observed a conduct very different
from that of his predecessor, Paulinus: the island, when he had reduced
it, was treated with great lenity. Agricola was a man of humanity and
virtue: he pitied the condition and respected the prejudices of the
conquered. This behavior facilitated the progress