[57] The life of Pliny had been employed in the acquisition of learning, and in the business of the world.
Since the age of nineteen he had pleaded with distinction in the tribunals of Rome, [58] filled a place in the senate, had been invested with the honors of the consulship, and had formed very numerous connections with every order of men, both in Italy and in the provinces.
From his ignorance therefore we may derive some useful information.

We may assure ourselves, that when he accepted the government of Bithynia, there were no general laws or decrees of the senate in force against the Christians; that neither Trajan nor any of his virtuous predecessors, whose edicts were received into the civil and criminal jurisprudence, had publicly declared their intentions concerning the new sect; and that whatever proceedings had been carried on against the Christians, there were none of sufficient weight and authority to establish a precedent for the conduct of a Roman magistrate.
[Footnote 57: Plin.Epistol.x.97.The learned Mosheim expresses himself (p.

147, 232) with the highest approbation of Pliny's moderate and candid temper.

Notwithstanding Dr.Lardner's suspicions (see Jewish and Heathen Testimonies, vol.ii.p.

46,) I am unable to discover any bigotry in his language or proceedings.