Eustace, John Cretwode: A classical tour through Italy An. MDCCCII (Vol. 4): 3. ed., rev. and enl (London: J. Mawman, 1815)

Ch. IL

THROUGH ITALY.

39

cathedral, there is a statue of Pliny with basso
relievos alluding1 to his writings, and on each side
of the grand entrance is an inscription in his
honor. The inscriptions are more commendable
for the spirit than for the style ; the best of the
two concludes in the following manner.
Ordo, populusque Comensis Caium Plinium Secundum
Municipem suum incomparabilem statuA et elogio
ornavere.
Faustus honor, dulcisque juvat me fama Secundum
At mage concives base posuisse meos.
Without doubt, a writer so much attached to
his country on one side, and so fond of fame on
the other, as Pliny seems to have been, may be
supposed to look down with complacency on
the honors thus zealously paid in his beloved
Comum * to his memory so many ages after his
decease. However, these honors are justly due,
not to his reputation only but to his public spirit,
as few citizens seem to have conferred so many
solid benefits upon their country as he did on
Comum. In the first place he established, or at
least, he contributed largely both by his example
and munificence, to the establishment of a school

* Tute meceque delicice, says he to his friend, speaking of
this town, their common country.—i, 3.