The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-23

was enlarged by the perpetual difference of language
and manners, ofintereG, and even of religion Yet |
the ialutary event approved in Tome neaiure the !!
Judgment of Constantine. During long period OF
decay, his inipregnable city repeed the victorious
armies of Barbarars, protected the wealth Of Ala,
and commanded both in peace and war, the impor-
tant treights which connect the Euxine and Medi-
terraneau feas. The foundation of Con;tantnop'e
elen,ially contributed the prefervaton of the
Eat, than to the ruin Of the Wet.
As the happineGs of future life is the great OBJ
ef efreligion, we may hear without furprGe fcan
dial, that the introduction, at eaR the abuie, of
Chrihanity, had fonle influence the decline aud
| fall of the Roman empire. The clergy iucceisfnliy
preached the doctrines of patience and putillainity
the active virtues of fociety di(couraged; and
the Ian remains of military fprit buried in the
cloyRer large portion of public and private wealth
was couecrated to the ipecious demands of charity
and devotion; and the folders pay lavi!hed on
the u(elels mutisudes Of both fexes who could only
plead the merits of abltinence and chaty. Faith,
zeal, curioIty, and the earthly paiens OF ma
lice and ambition, kindled the fame of theological
difcord the church, aud the fate, ditra6-
ed by religious factions, whole conflicts were fome-
times bloody, and always mplacable; the attention
! of the emperors diverted from camps fynods;
the Roman world opprefed by ipeces of
| tyranny and the perlecuted feets became the f.
cret enemies of their country. Yet party-fpirt,
| however perncious abfurd, is a principle of
union rs wei as OF BiihOpS from
teen hundred pupti, inculoated the duty OF paive
bedence to a lawful and orthodox fovereign; their
frequent affemblies, and perpetual correspondence,
maintained the communion of dittant churches; and
the benevolent temper of the gofpewa reng,hened,
though confined by the fpirtua alliance of the Ca
tholics The facred Incidence of the monks de-
! voutly embraced by a ferve and effemnate age !;
but if fuperitition had afforded decent retreat,
the fame vices would have tempted the unworthy Ro
mans delert, from bafer motives, the nandard of
the republic Religions precepts eaiily obeyed,
which indulge and ianetify the natural incnatons of
their vofaries bat the pure and genuine influence of
| Chrfanity may be traced in It's beneficial; though
imperfect effects the Barbarian PROTOTYPES of the
North IF the decline of the Roman Empire hai-
tened by the conversion of Contanne, bis victorious
religion broke the violence of the fall, aud notified
the ferocious temper of the conquerors.
This awful revolution may be ufefully applied to
the mtructon of the prelen age. 1t is the duty of
patriot 70 prefer and promote the executive ntere and
glory oil his native country but philosopher may be
permitted enlarge his views, and to coniider Eu-
rope great republic, whole various inhabitants
have attained anoi the fame level of politenefs and
cultivation. The balance of power will continue to
fu2uae, and the profperity of our own, the neigh
bouring Kingdoms, may be alternately exalted or de-
preied; but theie partial events eentally in
ure general Rate of Happiness, the ytem Of arts
and laws, and manners, which 70 advantageouly diff
tnguiih, above the RET of mankind, the Europeans
and their colonies The iavage nations of the globe
are the common enemies of CIVILIZED fociety; and we
may enquire with anxious eurioity, whether Europe
is till threatened with repetition of thofe calamtes
which formerly oppreed the arms and intitutions of
Rome Perhaps the fame reflections will ulirate
the tall OF that mighty empire, and explain the proba
| BILE caufes of our actual fecurity.
l. The Romans were ignorant of the extent of their
danger and the number of their enemies. Beyond the
Rhine and Danube, the northern countries of Europe
WI lei
tiers and hepherds, poor, voracious and turbulent;
bold IN arms, and impatient to ravilh the fruits of in
duitry. he Barbarian world agitated by the
rapid impue of war; and the peace of Gau or Italy
was ihaken by the diltan revolutions of China. The
| Huns who hed before victorious enemy direcled
| their march towards the Welt; and the torrent was
yeled by the gradual acceon of captives aud allies
The flying tribes who yielded to the Huns, affumed
Ill TIER turn the ipirt of conquea the endles column
OF Barbariaus prehed on the Roman empire with ac-
euniuated weight; and, if the foremoil were detroy-
ed, the vacant ipace infantly replenilhed by new
afiaants Such formidable emerations can no longer
iiue from the North; 8, the long repoe, which has
been imputed TO the decreafe of population, is the
happy coniequence of the progres of and agricu
ture. initead of Tome rude villages, thiny fcattered
among It's woods and morales, Germany now produ-
ces lii otwo thouiand three hundred walled towns
the Chriitiar kingdoms OF Denmark Sweden, & Poland
have been iucceiivey eftablihed; & the Hane n,er-
chants, with the Teu.onc knights have extended their
colonies along the coa of the Baltic as far as the Culfof
Finland. From the Gulf Of Finland to the Eaffern
Ocean, RuIiia now aAun,es the form of a powerful
and CIVILIZED empire. The plough, the foonl and the
forge are introduced the banks of the Volga the
Oby, and the Lena and the ferceR of the Tartar
hords have been taught to tremble and obey. The
reign OF independent Barbarifm is now contracted
To narrow fpan; and the remnant of Calmucks or
Uzbeks, whole forces may be almoR numbered, can
not ierouy excite the approximations Of the great re-
public OF Europe Yet this apparent fecurty mould
not tempt US TO forget, that enemies, and I'M
known dangers, may Pglbiy arfe from fome oblcure
people, icareely vflbIe in the map Of the world The
Arabs or Saracens, who lpread their conqueits from
India TO SPAIN had languifed in poverty and con-
tempt, till Mahomet breathed into thole favaee bodies
the foul of enthuiiafnl
H. The empire Of Rome was firmly eftablilhed by
the angular and perfect coalition of its members
The iubeef nations, regning the hope and even the
with, OF independence, embraced the character of
Roman citizens; and the provinces OF the Wei were
reluctantly torn by the Barbarians from the bofon
oi their mother-conntry. But this union was pur-
by the lois of national freedom and military
ipir; and the fervle provinces defitute of life and
motion, expected their fafety from the mercenary
troops and governors, who were dire6ted by the or
ders OF di'sant court The happiness of an hundred
millions depended on the perfonal merit of one, or
two men, perhaps children whole minds were cor
rnpted by education, luxury, and defpotic power
The feepeil wounds were inflicted on the empire
AftFaDc Oh ,,-sr,. Il