[Footnote36:Jornandes，c。16—18。Zosimus，l。i。p。22。Inthegeneralaccountofthiswar，itiseasytodiscovertheoppositeprejudicesoftheGothicandtheGrecianwriter。Incarelessnessalonetheyarealike。]

　　AtthesametimewhenDeciuswasstrugglingwiththeviolenceofthetempest，hismind，calmanddeliberateamidstthetumultofwar，investigatedthemoregeneralcauses，that，sincetheageoftheAntonines，hadsoimpetuouslyurgedthedeclineoftheRomangreatness。Hesoondiscoveredthatitwasimpossibletoreplacethatgreatnessonapermanentbasis，withoutrestoringpublicvirtue，ancientprinciplesandmanners，andtheoppressedmajestyofthelaws。Toexecutethisnoblebutarduousdesign，hefirstresolvedtorevivetheobsoleteofficeofcensor；anofficewhich，aslongasithadsubsistedinitspristineintegrity，hadsomuchcontributedtotheperpetuityofthestate，^37tillitwasusurpedandgraduallyneglectedbytheCaesars。^38Consciousthatthefavorofthesovereignmayconferpower，butthattheesteemofthepeoplecanalonebestowauthority，hesubmittedthechoiceofthecensortotheunbiasedvoiceofthesenate。Bytheirunanimousvotes，orratheracclamations，Valerian，whowasafterwardsemperor，andwhothenservedwithdistinctioninthearmyofDecius，wasdeclaredthemostworthyofthatexaltedhonor。Assoonasthedecreeofthesenatewastransmittedtotheemperor，heassembledagreatcouncilinhiscamp，andbeforetheinvestitureofthecensorelect，heapprisedhimofthedifficultyandimportanceofhisgreatoffice。\"HappyValerian，\"saidtheprincetohisdistinguishedsubject，\"happyinthegeneralapprobationofthesenateandoftheRomanrepublic!Acceptthecensorshipofmankind；andjudgeofourmanners。Youwillselectthosewhodeservetocontinuemembersofthesenate；youwillrestoretheequestrianordertoitsancientsplendor；youwillimprovetherevenue，yetmoderatethepublicburdens。Youwilldistinguishintoregularclassesthevariousandinfinitemultitudeofcitizens，andaccuratelyviewthemilitarystrength，thewealth，thevirtue，andtheresourcesofRome。Yourdecisionsshallobtaintheforceoflaws。Thearmy，thepalace，theministersofjustice，andthegreatofficersoftheempire，areallsubjecttoyourtribunal。Noneareexempted，exceptingonlytheordinaryconsuls，^39thepraefectofthecity，thekingofthesacrifices，andaslongasshepreservesherchastityinviolate

　　theeldestofthevestalvirgins。Eventhesefew，whomaynotdreadtheseverity，willanxiouslysolicittheesteem，oftheRomancensor。\"^40

　　[Footnote37:Montesquieu，GrandeuretDecadencedesRomains，c。

　　viii。Heillustratesthenatureanduseofthecensorshipwithhisusualingenuity，andwithuncommonprecision。]

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