Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-11-13
ALEXANDRIA,:
FRIDAY, NOVE.MBER 10, 1918.

pies by which they seem desirious TO be
thought to govern, the present may be con-
sdered as the era, above all others, the
most proptious to the human race for no
one of common sense and feeling will hesi-
tate TO acknowledge that peace is all that is
wanting TO render the condition of man as
prosperous as il can be hoped TO be made
by any political contrivance.-let there
are evils which seem to be, as if of neces-
sary consequence, the offspring of a long
continued peace.-The indefatigable acti-
witty of the human mind must have some
specific means of indulging itself, and it
they have not wars OF the sword upon which
TO work, men will find opinions and words
10 contend about..The truth of these OBJ
servatons may be seen demonstrated in the
histories of Elizabeth, James and Charles.
The glorious reign of Elizabeth had made
England to be "loved at home, reusred u
Lroad''-and under the mild domination of
the pacific James, the improvements in the
arts and manufactures of the country had
gone hand in hand with The improvements
in its commerce. II is, therefore," says
De Witt, astonishing to conceive, in a
commercial nation, the stimulus of peace"
The people, in fact, seem TO respire they
| fling off an immense load of expense which
had only contributed 10 spread devastation
and misery through the world the public
mini mounts upwards, and with new ardor
pursues the arts of civilized life. Nor was
| This less obvious in ancient times than in
| modern, upon many arduous occasions, par
ticularly during the interval between the
first and second punic wars. How, IN that
period, the commerce and prosperity OF
Carthage fourished, it is unnecessary TO
state. 1t was still more apparent in the
reigns of Elisabeth and James. But as
every good has IFS evils, the suspension of
arms set opinions ahoat, which expanding
into words, produced evils that are, even
at this day, at height that many good and
wise men deplore.
In that age, when religion broke out in
various new :ects-When puritanism made
IFS appearance, and almost every day pro-
duced a new religion, it would be astonish-
ing TO reflect how ductile the mind became
TO deception, did we not know that thore
was ever in that country singular cullibi-
lily which has, at different times, exhibited
itseliin different forms The general fren.
zy which had several times sent half the
people of the western parts Of he world to
attack those Of TIE eastern, was, though
more romaGtic, not much more extravagant
than the objects of different contentious, re-
ligious and civil, through long series of
years, of which the war and its concomitant
enormities, in the middle of the 18th CEN
fury, were the latest proofs. Respecting
these exiravagant ebulit;ons of the public
mind, enough has, perhaps, been said, from
time TO time but after that period the
pursuits of men were, by the operations of
commerce, changed from attempts to ac-
quire power and domination, through the
medium of religious hypocrisy, to pursuits
after riches by the fair course Of traffic; and
the increase of commerce, and consequent
increase OF wealth in England, surpassed
any thing known in history, till the process
was interrupted by the country's being
plunged into anarchy and civil warfare by
the great rebellion.
There is no part of ancient or modern
history, more curious, more interesting, or
more instructive, than that portion of the
annals Of Great Britain-nor one that ought
TO he more diligently studied by these who
wish TO qualify themselves for discharging
the important Office of statesman and legis-
, lator with credit to themselves and advan-
tage TO their country.
The Editor OF the Gazette will please
acquairt his readers that the Alexandria
Theatre will not open until the Isl of Ja-
nuary. am induced to communicate this
information, which may be relied on, from
a desire TO satisfy the friends Of the theatre
who are daily making inquiries of each O.
tber on the subject. OF the talents Of the
company am unacquainted--but from
the very complimentary manner in hich
they are spoken Of in Petersburg, am
induced to believe they are truly deserv-
ing Of encouragement. Many of the mem
bers are strangers on our boards, and have
been selected from other theatres by Mr.