Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-11-24
From the Massachusetts, Spy.
REVIEW.
THE CHRISTIAN HERO;

THE CHRISTIAN HERO;
Or, NJ, Principles but Religion, sufficient "a
make GREAT MAN.
Written ia 17o1--By Sir RieAard Steele.
" The 7v0rM Passeth azvay, and the Msts
thereof; but he that doeth the 1viH Of Cad,
,a5ideth. forever."
The most pleasing writers on didactic or
religious subjects, are those who mix his
torIcal incident with their ethics, and illus
trats the maxims they inculcate, and h:
doctrines they teach, by appropriate exam
Pies. No men ever understood the ar, of
rendering the study OF ethics agreeable,
better than Epicsetus, Seneca and Plutarch.
Their writings subs,sntiate the aphorism of
Bolingbroke, that I" History is philosophy,
teaching by example"
The celebrated Sir Richard Steele was
we'll acquainted with the writings OF the
ancients and from them he, probably, bor-
rowed in come measure, the plan OF his
work, entitled" The Christian Hero" He
proceeds by way of contrast; and by the
examples of our Saviour ard ST.. Paul,
shews how much superior Christian is to
the greatest characters in allSthe Heather
world and he overthrows the postuiatum
of Observation-Disclosures Religion throws oar
minds below noble and hazardous pursuits
--nnd shows that it is Religion. alone that is
capable of inspiring true torttude:
The author has given us those striking.
and in some degree, new views Of the cha.
racters Of julius Cesar, Cato of Utica. Bru.
tos and Cassius, which could only be OBJ.
tanned by an intimate acquaintance with the
Roman Historians. He has shewn how
easy it was for vice to become fascinating
and agreeable in Cesar; and how the RI
gid, or rather tureid, virtues of Cato, could
not fail TO be disagreeable and disgusting.
Saliust has enumerated the particulars in
which they differed; ITO Cesar all faults
were pardonable; to Gao, none" " Cesar
was the refuge of the unhappy; Cato the
bane of The wicked" caesars manner
made even his vice charming; Ca,o's, even
his virtue disagreeabe." They were both
great men, bat in different ways land in
their deaths, they fell short of that glory
which has been acquired ny SnTiStlap ne
roes. When Cesar saw the dagger of Bru-
b,s aimed at his bosom, he was disarmed
Of his courage and fortitude; he could only
excla;n, Et tn Brute? and yielded without
further resistance. He was not espresso
with that burden which caused our Saviour
70 exclaim, El0i, Eioi, Observation-Disclosures
though he had many times braved death in
the field, yet, in his last extremity, he did
not meet it with that calnness and resigna-
sion, with which it was often encountered
by St. Paul.
AS to Cato, though he carried the dog
mas Of the Stoics to their utmost extent, he
sacrificed himself, and became a victim to
pride; whereas, had he been a Christtan
Herr, he would have submitted to necessi-
,y with good grace; and not have become
the victim of an ill,judged and mistaken
point of honor.
The before invincible courage of Cassius
forsook him when he learned the result of
the battle of Philippi; he gave way to des.
pair bsfore all was lost. Like Saul, he or
dersd his servant to fall on him; and fell