The disorder which carried off so many last winter at _Lyons_, was called the Gripe. In a large hotel only one person escaped it, an English Lady. They called it the _Gripe_, from the fast hold it took of the person it seized; nor did it let them go till April.
On my way here, I found it sometimes extremely hot; it is now the first of May, and I am shaking by the side of a good fire, and have had one constantly every day for this fortnight.
The _Lyonoise_ think their town was particularly honoured by the _Taurobolium_; but it was a common practice to offer that sacrifice not only for the Emperor's health, but for the preservation of a city. There are two of these altars in the town of _Letoure_; one consecrated for the preservation of the Emperor _Gordian_, on which is the following inscription:
PRO SALVTE IMP. ANTONINI GORDIANO PII FEL. AVG. TOTIVSQVE DOMVS DIVINÆ PROQVE STATV CIVIT. LACTOR TOROPOLIVM FECIT ORDO LACTOR D.N. GORDIANO II ET POMPLIANO COS VI ID DEC CVRANTIS M EROTIO ET FESTO CANINIS SACERD.
And in a little village near _Marseilles_, called _Pennes_, there is a stone, on which is engraven,
I must not omit to give you a copy of a singular inscription on the tomb of a mint-master which was found in _Lyons_, and is preserved entire:
NOBILIS TIB. CÆSARIUS AVG. SER ÆQ. MONET HIC AD QVI LOCIT JVLIA ADEPTA CONJUNX ET PERPETUA FILIA D.S.D.
The most ancient money which has been found in and about this city, is the little coin of _Mark Antony_; on one side of which is represented the Triumvirate; on the other, a Lion, with the word _Lugudani_ under it; on each side of the Lion are the letters A and XL. The antiquarians here think those letters marked the value of the piece, and that it was about forty _sous_; but is it not more probable, that this was only the mint-master's touch?
Nothing can be a stronger proof of the importance of this city in the time of the Romans, than the immense expence they were at in erecting such a number of grand aquæducts, one of which was eighteen leagues in length; many parts of them are still visible; and it appears that they spent for the reparation of them at _one_ time, near one thousand talents; and here it was that the four grand Roman highways divided; one of which went directly to the sea, and another to the _Pyrenees_.