you have become so high that you look down upon your business, the sooner you leave it the better. I have now nothing more to say to you. LECTURE IV. THE COMMERCE OF ANCIENT ROME. Origin of Agriculture. Characteristics of an Agricultural and a Commercial State of Society. Agriculture of the Romans-Influence of Agriculture on Commerce. Wars of the RomansInfluence of War upon Commerce. Conquests of the Romans-Influence of extended Empire upon Commerce. Slavery of the Romans. Influence of Domestic Slavery upon Ancient Commerce. Roman Roads - Transmission of Letters. Roman Bankers Money. Marine Insurance-Assurance of Lives. Commercial Character of the Romans. THERE is no branch of ancient history with which we are so intimately acquainted as that of Rome, nor is there any which is more closely associated with the ideas and habits of modern times. The language of Rome enters largely into many of the languages of modern Europe, and it is the language associated with the ideas of our earliest youth. From Rome we have derived several of the principles of our laws, and the knowledge of several branches of literature and of science. Rome, as well as most ancient nations, commenced with a very small territory, and a small population. In tracing the early history of almost every nation, we shall find that it originally consisted of a number of small tribes or clans, wholly independent of each other. The heads of these tribes were the children or descendants of the chiefs of some illustrious family. When a younger son wished to emigrate, he took with him such of his father's retainers as were willing to accompany him, and either took possession of some inhabited district, or dispossessed those who were previously its occupiers. In this way, Rome was founded by Romulus, about 700 years before the Christian era. The people of Rome were rude and uncivilised, possessing little knowledge of the arts of social life, and knowing ORIGIN OF ROME. 179 none of its luxuries. But, though rude, they were not barbarians. They had a fixed place of residence-they understood the rights of private property-they had a settled form of government-and they understood the art of cultivating the earth. They devoted themselves to agriculture; and, in the interval between seed time and harvest, they amused themselves by making war with the petty tribes by whom they were surrounded. Though generally successful in their contests, they did not rapidly acquire the dominion they ultimately obtained. At the time of Alexander the Great, the territory of Rome did not extend much beyond the present limits of the Ecclesiastical States. I shall consider Rome in three points of view : First, As an agricultural tribe. Thirdly, As an extended empire. These three points of view will correspond pretty nearly with the three periods of its kingly, republican, and imperial form of government; and will give us the opportunity of tracing the influence of agriculture, war, and extended empire upon the interests of commerce. First. Let us consider the ancient Romans as an agricultural tribe, and trace the influence of agriculture upon commerce. We find that soon after the creation of the world, tillage and pasturage were practised. Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain was a tiller of the ground. Immediately after the Deluge, Noah planted a vineyard,—a circumstance which shows that this art was known to the antedeluvian world, and was communicated by Noah to his successors. Egypt and Babylon, founded by his immediate offspring, became remarkable for their agriculture. The tribes which separated from the rest of mankind, and lost their knowledge of the arts of civilised life, neglected agriculture; but when they became acquainted with settlers from foreign countries, the first art they learned was the art of cultivating the earth. Others became enamoured of a shepherd's life, and devoted themselves to pasturage; but when the earth |