PLINY THE YOUNGER. CECILIUS PLINIUS SECUNDUS, surnamed the younger, was born at Rome in the year 61 or 62, of J. C. He was the nephew of Pliny the naturalist, and received the usual education of the Roman nobility. His master was the celebrated Quintilian, and of all his disciples Pliny did him the most honour. The gratitude of the scholar equalled the talents of the illustrious professor. Sent into Syria at the head of a legion, he rendered himself remarkable by the precision with which he fulfilled his various duties. Upon his return to Rome, Pliny the naturalist, was delighted to find those qualities in a nephew, which he would have desired in a son, and adopted him. A distinction so glorious, only tended to animate Pliny in his laudable pursuits. He was sensible of the honour he had received, and of the responsibility it carried with it. Persuaded that great names reflect disgrace on those who are unworthy of them, he neglected nothing that might contribute to render his own celebrated by posterity, taking his uncle as his model. Pliny did not long enjoy the happiness of his instruction. He was scarcely eighteen, when his uncle perished in his arms, in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He fell But of all the brilliant actions of Pliny, no one did him so much credit as his undertaking the defence of his friend Helvidius, who had been condemned to death through the accusation of Publicius Certus. After the death of Domitian, he requested of the senate permission to arraign the infamous informer. In this expedient, he was neither restrained by the immense credit, nor by the riches of Publicius; much less did he shrink from his object by the fear of any enemies, which this line of conduct might create. In vain his friends admonished him that by such proceedings he would render himself obnoxious to all future emperors; he had the firmness to reply to them." So much the better, provided they are wicked emperors." In short, when he had occasion to speak, he expressed himself with so much force and anie sense he entertained of his unworthimation, that if the clemency of the new emperor preserved Publicius Certus from punishment, his justice, least, indicated the ness, by excluding him from the consulship, to which he had been elected. ITALY.] Pliny rose gradually by his own merit, to the first offices of state. He was successively Tribune of the people-Prefect of the public treasure-Consul-Governor of Pontus and Bithynia-Overseer of the Emylian way -and at length, Augur; a species of sacerdotal dignity which continued during life. PLINY THE YOUNGER. When invested with the consular dignity, Pliny, at the desire of the Senate, and the Roman people, pronounced that fine oration, which is extant, entitled "the Panegyric on Trajan." It is an eternal monument of the talents and gratitude of its author. In reading this celebrated harangue we can scarcely say which is the more to be admired, the prince who merited such an eulogy, or the orator who delivered it. After his consulship, Pliny was chosen governor of Bithynia. In this new employ, he distinguished himself by his goodness, his justice, and his humanity. On his return he resumed his favourite occupations. It was about this time, it is conceived, he re-married. He lost his first wife during the defence of Helvidius. Calpurnia, who succeeded her, was as much celebrated for her wit as her beauty. He found no difficulty in instilling into her mind a taste for the belles lettres: this predilection became of itself a passion, but this she so blended with the attachment she evinced for her husband, that we can scarcely say whether she loved Pliny for his literary attainments, or literature on account of Pliny. Pliny was the liberal patron of men of virtue and learning; of the particulars of his death, history affords no mention. He died, it is supposed, about the year |