From hence it is, that although _Constantinople_ seems as it were by Nature form’d for Government, yet her People are neither under the Decencies of Education, nor any Strictness of Discipline. Their Affluence makes them slothful, and their Pride renders them averse to an open Familiarity, and a generous Conversation; so that they avoid all Opportunities of being thrust out of Company for their Insolence, or falling into Dissensions amongst themselves, by which means the Christian Inhabitants of the Place, formerly lost both their City and Government. But let their Quarrels and Divisions run never so high, and throw the whole City into a Flame, as they have many times done, nay tho’ they should rase her even with the Ground, yet she would soon rise again out of her own Ruins, by reason of the Pleasantness of her Situation, without which the _Black Sea_ could not so properly be called the _Euxine_, as the _Axine_ Sea, (the Inhabitants of whose Coast used to kill all Strangers that fell into their Hands) by reason of the great Numbers of barbarous People who dwell round the _Black Sea_. It would be dangerous venturing on the Coasts of the _Black Sea_, either by Land or Water, which are full of Pyrates and Robbers, unless they were kept in a tolerable Order by the Government of the Port. There would be no passing the Straits of the _Bosporus_ which is inhabited on both Shores by a barbarous People, but for the same Reason. And though a Man was never so secure of a safe Passage, yet he might mistake his Road at the Mouth of the _Bosporus_, being misguided by the false Lights, which the _Thracians_, who inhabit the Coasts of the _Black Sea_, formerly used to hang out, instead of a _Pharos_. ’Tis therefore not only in the Power of _Constantinople_, to prevent any Foreigners sailing the _Black Sea_; but in reality no Powers can sail it, without some Assistance from her. Since therefore _Constantinople_ is the Fortress of all _Europe_, both against the Pyrates of _Pontus_, and the Savages of _Asia_, was the never so effectually demolish’d, as to all Appearance, yet would she rise again out of her Ruins to her former Grandeur and Magnificence. With what Fury did _Severus_ pursue this City, even to an entire Subversion? And yet when he cool’d in his Resentments against these People, he recollected with himself, that he had destroy’d a City which had been the common Benefactress of the Universe, and the grand Bulwark of the Eastern Empire. In a little time after he began to rebuild her, and order’d her, in Honour of his Son, to be call’d _Antonina_. I shall end with this Reflection; That though all other Cities have their Periods of Government, and are subject to the Decays of Time, _Constantinople_ alone seems to claim to herself a kind of Immortality, and will continue a City, as long as the Race of Mankind shall live either to inhabit or rebuild her. [Illustration: Page Decoration] [Illustration: Page Header Decoration]