The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-07-07


fupineness and TO redeem the glory of
their name. With burning CHEEKS ana
tese'ea ups, and brow begi,t with a
au,ei wreathe, the wretched Sappho, the
neN' 10 age, addressed her despontinp
cou"''ymen With uncommon sweet,
pess and elegance she struck the chords of
per iyre, and brealhed forth the sounds or
passion and OF grief. The hectic colour
~ shame flushed her pale cheek, as sb.
Sheid the submissive spirit OF her soil
- sue viewed the ruins o: the affairs and
temPies, the triumphant arches and stat.
Hues, "nlch ancient muri6cence had rear.
ca. "Her white bosom was seen from
her robe, as the moon from the clouds of
light; her voice was softer than the
ARP to raise the song of woe" In this
Iplendld vision of departed worthless the
scholar OF Aeno and Anaxagoras was no,
unmarked. By the lightnings which
played around his crest the Immortal
Peric'es, the commander, the statesman.
and the orator, wasseen in all his bright
ness and glory. That eloeuence, " hicb
had acquired him the surname of Olym.
pian' and which was likened to the thun.
der OF Heaven, was now exer,ed in all
its sweetness and persuasion to rouse
their slumbering energies. The vieto.
Iies OF Mycale, of Salamis and Platea.
we're called anew TO their minds. The
Persian Satrap was shewn with his mil.
ions in the plains of Macedonis, cutting
his way thro' Mount Athos and after wards
shrinking from the determined pba.
lapx of Leonidas
gentlemen, these were the reflections
that first seized the genius of our country,
when she beheld this unhappy land.
groaDing under the weight of despotism /.
when her palaces and buildings were the
prey of an enemy, more bar5arous than
the Hun the Vandal, or the Goth. Blu,
the scene is now changed, Greece has
determined to be no longer the sport and
scoF of tyrants-
"The Albanian from Epirus' strand,
The lonian from the sea,
The Spartan and Thessalian band
Are burning TO be free.
Mount Athos sees the cross on high,
Above its converts wave,
Religions fires the boldesteye,
The night of slavery has gone by,
And GoD is with the brave
Need ask you whether the prospect,
which is Frightening over her skies. is
grateful TO you-you who have taken
Pericles ior your model, and whose first
tongues have trembled with the name Of
liberty; 10 whom classic ground must
breathe spirit of devotion, more inspir-
ing than the noblest deeds Of chvairv, or
arms No: will net wound you by such
an ,inierrogatory. The armament, in
whtse blue vault the sun Of literature
first dawned, must find dwelling in eve
Iy bosomj an interest in every heart. Fhe
lend that has surpassed all others in the
fame, learning and arts of its inhabitaDts,
-tba, was super-eminent in the principles
ofindependence and moral virtue, where
the soul first walked forth in its native
dignity, and in the knowledge of its flu
ture existence, must ever excite our
sympathy and love. Let us mingle, then,
with our recoilections OF this day, the
reIying spirit of Greece. Let us hope
that there has, at last, risen up after her
long and deplorable abasement, another
ThrasyluIus to redeem her from her
chains. That the muses., no more fear
ing the violence OF modern Petenaus,
b'"y iStuii w 'iSii
bsunts-that their streams nay recover
their original purity and whiteness, and
that their temples may be rebuilt On the
hills which they so much loved.
Liberty is subject congenial to the
Yecoilections Of this day. While, there
fore, gentlemen, we sgain exult in the
possession Of every blessing, and in the
advancement of our moral and political
condition, let us be mindful that it con-
sists in being governed by the laws that
i. has imposed upon itself. That with
out virtue it leads to evil. That com.
merce may increase our riches, and al
ford US the means of carrying on our in
ternat inDrpyements,yet goodness IS the
only thing that can render us happy
There is nothing so little understood or
so fatally mistaken as liberty. Though
no man is so mad as to say that it is 10
lac ahsolveG from all the obligations of
law or society; yet this would really
sees1 TO be The belief Of many. True
liberty consists in not being compelled TO
do any thing which the law has left it IN
eur choice, either to do or not, and not
20 be hindered from doing that which
che institutions of society alike permit Us
70 DO. TO imagine liberty without Law,
IS to imagine beautiful piece OF me-
chanism withouti,s spriBgs,andits wheels,
and all those useful appeDdsges that are