The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-23
THE SAFEGUARDS OF CIVILIZED A
CAINST SAVAGE SOCIETIES.

CAINST SAVAGE SOCIETIES.
ne following fplendid specimen of philofophi-
cal eloquence, is extracted from Gibbons
celebrated hitory of {" the decline and fall Of
tbe Roman Empire" We prefent it 70 our
readers, becaute no effay has more acc urate-
ly developed the interefting caufes of the de-
clenfion of ancient Rome and becaute no
other extract is at hand, which combines 10
much practical philofophy with fuch nervous
and impretive eloquence. Hiftory has been
beautifully pronounced to be philofophy
teaching by example. Had all hitturians
written with the fire OF Gibbon, it might
have been added, that it was philofophy
teaching in the ftyle of the Graces.
80 far as the principles of the following efiay
are conGdered, they feem to lave but little
practical connection with the prefent fate
of Europe or America. There are no Scy-
thians, or Tartars in either continent, which
threaten the repofe and fubjug alton of the
civilized world.
The Iudiaus are the barbarians of the new !;
the Rufiians, of the ancient continent. But
the Indians occupy too FINAL an extent of the
Weitern territory, to make any ferrous inn
preflion upon the borderers OF the Ealtern
Ocean, civiiifed as they are by innumerable
arts, and initiated in all the difcipline
of defence. The RuGians are themieves
too far, advanced i'm civilization, to pour
like the ancient barbarians upon the
cultivated fcenes of Europe. They may
be driven on by the policy of their 60
vernment, but not by their own favage
impetuoiity. They may attempt the over
running and fubingation of 4 part Of Eu-
rope, but the wet is too well prepared, to
fall beneath their power, and perhaps ihort
period only will elapfe before the column of
the Ruiiian ftrcngth ttelfis broke into pieces !;
one portion to hourith on the banks of the
Black fea, another on the Baltic, and a third
amidft the wilds of Siberia.
With refpe6t to the definy of the Rniliaps, the
reader will not fail TO remark the extreme
contrariety which prevails between the phi
lofophical predictions of Gihbon and the
deceptious policy of Bonaparte. The one
has exempted them from the rcproach of be-
ing conlidered as barbarians and as intend
ing any future Eruption into the South.
The other has never ceafed in all his Bulletins
and Speeches to- reprefent then, under the
character of Goths and Tartars, whom
Auitria has imprudcnty invited into the heart
OF Europe, acquiring 4 tate for the luxuries
of civilization, and threatening at fome flu
tnre day, like their ancefors of DID, to over
turn every fate with fire and the fword.
Gen:rai Ol(er0afionsOn The Fell IF tie Rsman Emtiye
in tie Wy5a.
THE Greeks, after their country had been redu-
ced into province, imputed the triunipbs Of Rome,
not to the merit, but the FORTUNE, of TIE repub-
lie. The incontant goddeis, who 70 blindly ditri-
butes and refnes her fvors had AozV coniented (uch
was the language of envious fattery) to reign her
WINGS to defend from her globe, and fix her firm
and immu'able throne on the banks of the Tiber A
wier Greek, who has competed, with philoiophic
prt the memorable hiltory of his own times depri-
eed his counrymen eff this vain and deuive comfort,
by opening their view the deep foundations of the
greatness of Rome. The fidelity of the citizens to
each other, and TO the fate by the ha-
bits OF education, and the preudices Of religion Ho-
rour as well rs virtue, the principle of the re-
nublc the ambitious ctz ems laboured TO dererve the
lcemn glories Of triumph; and the ardour of the
Roman youth was kindled into aSive emulation, as
often they behed the donieific images of their an
celtors. The temperate ruggles of the pltricians &
pebeians had finally elablifhed the firm and equal ba-
Lance of the contribution; which united the freedom
Of popular aemblies, with the authority and wifdom
Of ieiiate, and the executive powers Of regal Ela-
citrate. When the confu difplayed the ftandard of
the republic, each citizen bound himfelf by the obi
CATION of an oath, draw his foord in the caue of
his country, till he had discharged the facred duty by
military fervice of ten years. This wife inlfitution
-oh"by P"uieC ihto TIE Helu the rlung generations
Of freemen and folders and their numbers were re-
nforeed by the warlike and populous Gates of Italy
WHO, alter brave reti!tanee had yielded TO the va
our, and embraced the alliance, of the Romans The
age htoran, who excited the virtue OF the Younger
Scipio, and beheld the ruin IF Carthage has accu
-ately defcribed their military fyhe; their levies
rms, exerces differentiation, marches encafnpments
md the irvincbe legion fuperior in active arength
% the Macedonian phalanN Of Philip and Alexander
From theie iutitutiQus Of peace and war Poybius has
tedueed the fpirit and IccefsOf people incapable of
ear, and inpatient of repof. The am bilious deiign
D coDqueft, which might have been defeated by che
eaiobabe conipiracy of mankind was attempted and
tchieved; and the perpetual violation Of Justice was
by the poli,ica! virtues of prudence and
courage The arms of the republic, fometinies van
luiihed in battle, always victorious in war; advanced
With ri I'd Steps TO the Euphrates the Danube, the
Rhire, az the Ocean and tie images of cold. or
liver, or brafs, that might erve reprelent the natl
'ns and their kings, fuecefivey broken by the
ron monarchy of Rome
The rife of city, which fvelled into an erapire,
nay deierve, as finguar prodigy the rejection of a
mind. Bu, the decline of Rome was the
Natural and inevitable efetl of mmodera,e Yrea,nefs
PROPERTY riPened the principle of decay the caules
'tdes'ruction multiplied with the extent of conquest
md as foon as time accident had removed the arti
lcia iuppors, the stupeudous fabric Vi lled to the
'reure Of its weight. The story 81 irs ruin ;s
nipple and obvious; and instead Of euqurinp 7oby the
Roman empire was destroyed, we ihould rather he
urprifed that it had iubGs,ed 70 long The victorious
egions, who, in distant wars, acquired the vices Of
trangers and mercenaries, fri oppreGed the free
lom OF the republic, end afterwards violated the ma
n L