72 Under the Christian kings, the barbarians multiplied the number of capital offences, but this has usually been regarded as an improvement. The Abbé Mably says: “Quoiqu’il nous reste peu d’ordonnances faites sous les premiers Mérovingiens, nous voyons qu’avant la fin du sixième siècle, les François avoient déjà adopté la doctrine salutaire des Romains au sujet de la prescription; et que renonçant à cette humanité cruelle qui les enhardissoit au mal, ils infligèrent peine de mort contre l’inceste, le vol et le meurtre qui jusques-là n’avoient été punis que par l’exil, ou dont on se rachetoit par une composition. Les François, en réformant quelques-unes de leurs lois civiles, portèrent la sévérité aussi loin que leurs pères avoient poussé l’indulgence.”—Mably, _Observ. sur l’Hist. des François_, liv. i. ch. iii. See, too, Gibbon’s _Decline and Fall_, ch. xxxviii. 73 The whole of the sixth volume of Godefroy’s edition (folio) of the Theodosian code is taken up with laws of these kinds. 74 Mme. de Staël, _Réflexions sur le Suicide_. 75 The following became the theological doctrine on the subject: “Est vere homicida et reus homicidii qui se interficiendo innocentum hominem interfecerit.”—Lisle, _Du Suicide_, p. 400. St. Augustine has much in this strain. Lucretia, he says, either consented to the act of Sextius, or she did not. In the first case she was an adulteress, and should therefore not be admired. In the second case she was a murderess, because in killing herself she killed an innocent and virtuous woman. (_De Civ. Dei_, i. 19.) 76 Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Cyprian are especially ardent in this respect; but their language is, I think, in their circumstances, extremely excusable. Compare Barbeyrac, _Morale des Pères_, ch. ii. § 8; ch. viii. §§ 34-39. Donne’s _Biathanatos_ (ed. 1644), pp. 58-67. Cromaziano, _Istoria critica e filosofica del Suicidio ragionato_ (Venezia, 1788), pp. 135-140. 77 Ambrose, _De Virginibus_, iii. 7. 78 Eusebius, _Eccles. Hist._ viii. 12. 79 Eusebius, _Eccles. Hist._ viii. 14. Bayle, in his article upon Sophronia, appears to be greatly scandalised at this act, and it seems that among the Catholics it is not considered right to admire this poor lady as much as her sister suicides. Tillemont remarks: “Comme on ne voit pas que l’église romaine l’ait jamais honorée, nous n’avons pas le mesme droit de justifier son action.”—_Hist. ecclés._ tome v. pp. 404, 405.