I shall also be bold to affirm, that among the ancients, there was not much delicacy of breeding,
or that polite deference and respect, which civility obliges us either to express or counterfeit
towards the persons with whom we converse. CICERO was certainly one of the finest gentlemen
of his age; yet I must confess I have frequently been shocked with the poor figure under which
he represents his friend ATTICUS, in those dialogues, where he himself is introduced as a
speaker. That learned and virtuous ROMAN, whose dignity, though he was only a private
gentleman, was inferior to that of no one in ROME, is there shewn in rather a more pitiful light
than PHILALETHES'S friend in our modern dialogues. He is a humble admirer of the orator,
pays him frequent compliments, and receives his instructions, with all the deference which a
scholar owes to his master.*44 Even CATO is treated in somewhat of a cavalier manner in the
dialogues de finibus.*45 , h
I.
XIV.34