30，alwayspreferredtenantsbornontheestate。Columella，whoreceivedthismaximfromhim，arguesveryjudiciouslyonthesubject。DeReRustica，l。i。c。7，p。408，edit。Gesner。
Leipsig，1735。]
Theopulentnoblesofanimmensecapital，whowereneverexcitedbythepursuitofmilitaryglory，andseldomengagedintheoccupationsofcivilgovernment，naturallyresignedtheirleisuretothebusinessandamusementsofprivatelife。AtRome，commercewasalwaysheldincontempt:butthesenators，fromthefirstageoftherepublic，increasedtheirpatrimony，andmultipliedtheirclients，bythelucrativepracticeofusury；andtheobseletelawswereeluded，orviolated，bythemutualinclinationsandinterestofbothparties。^31AconsiderablemassoftreasuremustalwayshaveexistedatRome，eitherinthecurrentcoinoftheempire，orintheformofgoldandsilverplate；andthereweremanysideboardsinthetimeofPlinywhichcontainedmoresolidsilver，thanhadbeentransportedbyScipiofromvanquishedCarthage。^32Thegreaterpartofthenobles，whodissipatedtheirfortunesinprofuseluxury，foundthemselvespoorinthemidstofwealth，andidleinaconstantroundofdissipation。Theirdesireswerecontinuallygratifiedbythelaborofathousandhands；ofthenumeroustrainoftheirdomesticslaves，whowereactuatedbythefearofpunishment；andofthevariousprofessionsofartificersandmerchants，whoweremorepowerfullyimpelledbythehopesofgain。Theancientsweredestituteofmanyoftheconveniencesoflife，whichhavebeeninventedorimprovedbytheprogressofindustry；andtheplentyofglassandlinenhasdiffusedmorerealcomfortsamongthemodernnationsofEurope，thanthesenatorsofRomecouldderivefromalltherefinementsofpompousorsensualluxury。^33Theirluxury，andtheirmanners，havebeenthesubjectofminuteandlaboriousdisposition:butassuchinquirieswoulddivertmetoolongfromthedesignofthepresentwork，IshallproduceanauthenticstateofRomeanditsinhabitants，whichismorepeculiarlyapplicabletotheperiodoftheGothicinvasion。
AmmianusMarcellinus，whoprudentlychosethecapitaloftheempireastheresidencethebestadaptedtothehistorianofhisowntimes，hasmixedwiththenarrativeofpubliceventsalivelyrepresentationofthesceneswithwhichhewasfamiliarlyconversant。Thejudiciousreaderwillnotalwaysapproveoftheasperityofcensure，thechoiceofcircumstances，orthestyleofexpression；hewillperhapsdetectthelatentprejudices，andpersonalresentments，whichsouredthetemperofAmmianushimself；buthewillsurelyobserve，withphilosophiccuriosity，theinterestingandoriginalpictureofthemannersofRome。^34
[Footnote31:ValesiusadAmmian。xiv。6hasproved，fromChrysostomandAugustin，thatthesenatorswerenotallowedtolendmoneyatusury。YetitappearsfromtheTheodosianCode，seeGodefroyadl。ii。tit。xxxiii。tom。i。p。230—289，thattheywerepermittedtotakesixpercent。，oronehalfofthelegalinterest；and，whatismoresingular，thispermissionwasgrantedtotheyoungsenators。]