Page images
PDF
EPUB

66

"mesticks can read and write perfectly, because he "frequently hears them read at his leifure Hours, 4. or makes them write out fair Copies of thofe Papers which he wants. He has a fet Time for eve ry Thing, as if he lived in a Convent: Such a "Conduct affords him a perfect Health, and ren❝ders him no lefs chearful than acceptable to the Publick.'

Dr. Du Pin has published a Supplement to his Bibliotheque of Ecclefiaftical Writers.

Bibliotheque des Auteurs Ecclefiaftiques; Supplement, contenant les Principaux Points de l'Hiftoire de l'Eglife des IV. V. VI. VII. & VIII. Siecles, avec une Table Chronologique. Paris, 1711. in 8vo. Pagg. 450.

When Dr. Du Pin undertook to write his Bibliotheque, he defigned to lay afide the Hiftorical Part which is the Reason why the moft Confiderable Facts, relating to the Hiftory of the Church, are not to be found in that Work. The Author has thought fit to publifh a Supplement, wherein he gives an Account of the Chief Tranfactions of the IVth, Vth, VIth, VIIth and VIIIth Centuries. He begins with the Perfecutions of the Chriftians under Diocletian, and then describes the Flourishing State of Chriftianity in the Reign of the Emperor Conftantine. He gives us the Hiftory of the Donatifts, the Hiftory of the Manichees, Arians, Apollinarifts, Prifcillianifts, &c. In the next Place, he fhews what Bishops governed the Great Churches in the IVth Century; how the Monaftick Life was inftituted; and in what Condition the Church was under the Emperor Julian. Laftly, The Author has inferred an Abridgment of the Doctrine and Discipline of the IVth Century.

[ocr errors]

The Readers will find in the remaining Part of the Book, an Hiftorical Account of what happened in the Vth, VIth, VIIth, and VIIIth Centuries; the Hiftory of the Pelagians and Semipelagians, and what

ever concerns the Bishops at that Time; the Hiftory of the Perfecution of the Vandals; the State of the Church of Italy and France in the Beginning of the VIth Century, &c.

ARTICLE XXIV.

The GENERAL HISTORY of the HIGHWAYS in all Parts of the World, particularly in Great Britain: Containing I. The Manner of making and managing of them by the Carthaginians, Lacedemonians, Romans, Indians of Peru, and all other Nations, from the remoteft Antiquity to this Time. II. An Account of Antoninus's Itinerary, and the Peutinger Tables. III. The juft Proportion between the Ancient and Modern Furlongs, Miles, and Leagues. IV. The Original and Advancement of the Poft. V. Canals cut, Bridges built, and Ports made by the Romans. VI. An accurate Defcription of Rome, in three feveral Ages. VII. And lastly, An Account of the Modern Roads in Great Britain: With an Abstract of the Laws concerning them, &c. London. Printed, and are to be Sold by D. Brown, at the Black Swan without Temple-Bar; W. Innis at the Feathers in St. Paul's Church-yard; G. Strahan at the Golden Ball in Cornhill;

J. Mor

J. Morphew near Stationers-Hall; and J. King in Westminster-Hall, Bookfellers. 1712. in 8vo. Pagg. 164..

HE Hiftory of the Highways of the Roman

T'Empire, written by Nicolas Bergier, Advocate

[ocr errors]

in the Prefidial of Reims, was published at Paris in the Year 1622. That curious and learned Book is grown very scarce: 'Tis true, a Latin Tranflation of it has been inferted in the Thefaurus Antiquitatum Romanarum, printed in feveral Volumes in Folio; but that Collection is too dear, to be bought by every Body. The Publick wanted therefore an English Tranflation of Bergier's Work ; and it will be the more acceptable, because it comes out with feveral Improvements and Additions relating to England. The Tranflator has only publifhed the firft Book, and defigns to go on with the reft. The following Extract, though fhort, will give the Readers a fufficient Noti on of the Nature of this Work.

I. In the Time of the Commonwealth of Rome, the Care of the Highways was committed to the Cenfors, Confuls, and Tribunes of the People. As for the Streets and publick Places of that City, it was the Business of the Ediles to keep them in Repair.

The Cenfors, Confuls, and other Magiftrates of Rome, being no longer able to take Care of the Highways,

Vol. IV.

I

* Hiftoire des Grands Chemins de l'Empire Romain, contenant l'origine, progrés, & eftendue quafi incroyable des Chemins Militaires, pavez depuis la Ville de Rome jufques aux extremitez de fon Empire. Où fe voit la grandeur & la puiffance incomparable des Romains: Enfemble, l' efclairciffement de l'Itineraire d'Antonin, & de la Carte de Peutinger. Par Nicolas Bergier, Advocat au Siege Prefidial de Reims. A Paris, Chez C. Morel, &c. MDCXXII. 'Tis a Book in 4to. confifting of 856 Pages.

ways, fome extraordinary Commiffioners were appointed for that End, and went by the Name of Curatores viarum. Their Number was not fixed. They were more or less, as Occafion required

Thofe Curatores viarum (Overfeers of the Highways) were Men of Note, and had the moft confiderable-Employments bestowed upon them. We read in Plutarch, that Julius Cæfar was, made Curator vie Appie. Before the Reign of Auguftus, thofe Commiffioners were only appointed, when there was a Neceflity for it s but that Emperor fixed their Number, and made them perpetual. What has been faid hitherto, ought to be understood only of the Highways in Italy. The Curatores viarum must not be confounded with the Curatores vicorum.

"

4

Appius Claudius was the firft, who began to pave the Highways of Italy. During his Cenforship in the Year of Rome 442. he caufed the publick Road from that City to Capua to be paved: That Road, was cal led Via Appia. The fecond Highway, paved in Italy, was that of Caius Aurelius Cotta, in the Year of Rome 512. if one may depend upon the Conjecture of Ca. zolus Sigonius, who fays it was called Via Aurelia from him. The next Highways paved in Italy, are the Via Flaminia and the Via Emilia. The former reached from Rome to Ariminum, (now Rimini;) and the latter from Rimini to Bologna, and from thence to Aquileia. Some Ancient Authors fay, the Via Flaminia was made in the Year of Rome 533, by Flaminius, who died in the War with Annibal; but Stra bo afcribes it to his Son Flaminius. The two Cenfors Flaccus and Albinus undertook a Work of the fame Nature, in the Year 580. Caius Gracchus 50 Years after caused several Roads to be paved in Italy. This is what we find in the Roman Hiftory concerning thofe, who took Care of the Highways in that Coun try. Several other Magiftrates, unknown to us, ap plied themselves to this Work; fo that in Julius

Lib. II. de Antiq. Jure Italia, cap. Pult,

Cafar's

Cafar's Time there were publick Roads to go from Rome to all the chief Towns of Italy. Auguftus and his Succeffors did rather enlarge and repair them than make new ones, except fome that were made by Do mitian, Trajan, and Aurelian.

The moft ancient Highway, that was made by the Romans out of Italy, reached from the Alps into Spain through Provence and Languedoc Polybius mentions it in the third Book of his Hiftory. Andreas Refendius *, who faw fome Parts of that Road, obferves, that it was paved with fmall fquare Stones, pene infana profufione. That Way was made in the Time of the Punick War. The next is the Via Domitia, which Domitius Anobarbus caufed to be made in the Year of Rome 629. Cicero † fpeaks of it. Our Author thinks it was made in the Country of the Allobroges, who were overcome by Domitius. Tacitus mentions another Via Domitia in Germany. The Via Egnatia, mentioned by Strabo, Lib. VII. reached from Apollonia in Epirus to Cypfelus and the River Hebrus in Thrace. Cicero fays, it went as far as the Hellefpont. These are the Highways, that were made out of Italy before the Reign of Auguftus. That Emperor took great Care not only to enlarge and ftretch out thofe that' were already in the Roman Provinces, but also to make new ones.

The Legionary Soldiers, the common People in the feveral Provinces, and the Slaves, were employed in making the Highways of the Roman Empire. Auguftus, who had a standing Army of Twenty-five Legions, was the firft who put the Soldiers to that Work, to keep them bufy and obedient.

Our Author gives a fhort Account of the Revenues of the Roman Empire, and fhews how Part of them were difpofed of towards making or repairing the publick Roads.

*

I 2

Fulius

Lib. III. de Antiquit. Lufitan. cap. de Viis militaribus.

† Orat. pro M. Fonteio.

+ Lib. I. Annal.

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »