Page:Regal Rome, an Introduction to Roman History (1852, Newman, London, regalromeintrodu00newmuoft).djvu/16

2 world of the Mediterranean widely, writes concerning the Italian peninsula with a high-wrought admiration which equals that of Englishmen.

The district of Italy with which we are here principally concerned, was less favoured by nature than most other parts. The country of the Latins is in great measure now uninhabitable form malaria; indeed Cicero pronounced on Romulus the singular panegyric, that "he chose for his city a spot, which in a pestilent region was salubrious ." It is generally believed that this unhealthiness was far less in more ancient times, when Latium was thickly planted with towns, the number of which is apt to seem incredible. The highlands however are reported to be quite healthy, and the malaria on the lowlands is feared only in the dry season. The grass is luxuriant in spring and winter, and there is a good proportion of rich arable land. The extent of the Latin sea-coast, from the mouth of the Tiber to Circeii, is about fifty miles; the breadth of Latium from the coast to the Sabine Hills is estimated at thirty miles at most. Within this area, before the dawn of history, many Latin cities flourished in more than one confederation; and we are accustomed to think of them as of pure race; yet there is reason to believe that many mixtures of population had already occurred. To