They had too much taste to relinquish their language, and too much vanity to adopt any foreign institutions.

Still preserving the prejudices, after they had lost the virtues, of their ancestors, they affected to despise the unpolished manners of the Roman conquerors, whilst they were compelled to respect their superior wisdom and power.

Nor was the influence of the Grecian language and sentiments confined to the narrow limits of that once celebrated country.

Their empire, by the progress of colonies and conquest, had been diffused from the Adriatic to the Euphrates and the Nile.

Asia was covered with Greek cities, and the long reign of the Macedonian kings had introduced a silent revolution into Syria and Egypt.