action, in which confiderable numbers were flain. Being thus fuccefsful, he did not think proper to pursue the enemy into their retreats, but embarking a body of troops on board his fleet, he ordered the commander to furround the whole coaft of Britain, which had not been discovered to be an island till the preceding year. This armament, pursuant to his orders, fteered to the northward, and there fubdued the Orkneys; then making the tour of the whole island, it arrived in the port of Sand wich, without having met the least disaster.

During thefe military enterprizes Agricola was ever attentive to the arts of peace. He attempted to humanize the fierceness of thofe who acknowledged his power, by introducing the Roman laws, habits, manners, and learning. He taught them to defire and raise all the conveniencies of life, inftructed them in the arts of agriculture, and, in order to protect them in their peaceable poffeffions, he drew a rampart, and fixed a train of garrifons between them and their northern neighbours; thus cutting off the ruder and more barren parts of the island, and fecuring the Roman province from the invafion of a fierce and neceffitous enemy. In this manner the Britons being almoft totally fubdued, now began to throw

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throw off all hopes of recovering their former liberty; and having often experienced the fuperiority of the Romans, confented to fubmit, and were content with safety. From that time, the Romans feemed more defirous of A. D. 78. fecuring what they poffeffed, than of making new conquefts, and were employed rather in repreffing than punishing their restless northern invaders.

For feveral years after the time of Agricola, a profound peace feems to have prevailed in Britain, and little mention is made of the affairs of the island by any historian.. The only incidents which occur, are fome feditions among the Roman legions quartered there, and some ufurpations of the imperial dignity by the Roman governors. The natives remained totally fubdued and difpirited; the arts of luxury had been introduced among them, and feemed to afford a wretched compenfation for their former independence. All the men who had a paffion for liberty were long fince deftroyed; the flower of their youth were drafted out of the island to ferve in foreign wars, and those who remained were bred up in fervitude and fubmiffion. Such, therefore, were very unlikely to give any disturbance to their governors; and, in fact, instead of confidering

their yoke as a burthen, they were taught to regard it as their ornament and protection. Nothing, therefore, was likely to fhake the power of Rome in the island, but the diffentions and diftreffes of the Romans themselves, and that dreadful period at last arrived.

Rome, that had for ages given laws to nations, and diffused flavery and oppreffion over the known world, at length began to fink under her own magnificence. Mankind, as if by a general confent, rose up to vindicate their natural freedom; almost every nation afferting that independence which they had been long fo unjustly deprived of. It was in these turbulent times, that the emperors found themselves obliged to recruit their legions from the troops that were placed to defend the frontier provinces. When the heart of the empire was contended for, it was not much. confidered in what manner the extremities were to be defended. In this manner, the more distant parts of the empire were frequently left without a guard; and the weakness of the government there, frequently excited fresh infurrections among the natives. Thefe, with thoufand other calamities, daily grew greater; and, as the enemies of the Roman people encreased, their own diffenfions among each

other

other feemed to encrease in the fame proportion.

During these struggles the British youth were frequently drawn away into Gaul, to give ineffectual fuccour to the various contenders for the empire, who, falling in every attempt, only left the name of tyrants behind them. In the mean time, as the Roman forces decreased in Britain, the Picts and Scots continued still more boldly to infest the northern parts; and croffing the friths, which the Romans could not guard, in little wicker boats, covered with leather, filled the country whereever they came with flaughter and confternation. When repulfed by fuperior numbers, as was at first always the cafe, they retired with the spoil, and watched for the next opportunity of invafion, when the Romans were drawn away into the remoter parts of the island.

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These enterprises were often repeated, and as often repreffed, but ftill with diminishing vigour on the fide of the defendants. The fouthern natives being accustomed to have recourse to Rome, as well for protection as for laws, made fupplication to the emperors, and had one legion sent over for their defence. This relief was in the beginning attended with the defired effect, the barbarous invaders were repulfed and

driven back to their native deferts and mountains. They returned, however, when the Roman forces were withdrawn; and although they were again repulfed by the affiftance of a legion once more fent from Rome, yet they too well perceived the weakness of the enemy, and their own fuperior skill in arms.

At length, in the reign of Valentinian the younger, the empire of Rome began to tremble for its capital, and being fa tigued with distant expeditions, informed the wretched Britons, whom their own arts had enfeebled, that they were now no longer to expect foreign protection. They accordingly, drew away from the island all the Romans, and many of the Britons who were fit for military fervices. Thus, taking their last leave of the ifland, they left the natives to the choice of their own government and kings. They gave them the beft inftructions the calamitous times would permit, for exercifing their arms, and repairing their ramparts. They helped the natives to erect a-new a wall of ftone built by the emperor Severus across the island, which they had not at that time artizans skilful enough among themselves to repair. Having thus prepared for their departure in a friendly manner, the Romans left the island, never more

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