Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-04-07

o, Athenians! this baleful being is en-.
gendered in your hearts, and is nurtur
ed by the breath of your life. Malice
and envy are its parents, and they swell
and bloat the demon and teach him to
concoct his poison and to sharpen his
fangs. Is this scourge to exist fore
ever amongst you? You look 10 your
vines and fruit trees, and crush the
canker-worm in his nest, and will you
make no effort to destroy this reptile!
Do mot hear an hundred honest voices
cry, where can we find this monster,
for we are ready to venture our lives
to attack it? You will not find it by
looking around you, Athenians--the
viper mean glides on in the dark,
aad destroys unseen. Yonder group
Of citizens, talking in the market place
are bitten by it. To speak plainly,
Athenians the monsterI have described
canot be destroyed by the sharpest
sword, or the strongest arm-H is SIAN
der! Your ardent imaginations wander
after novelty and in pursuit of the mar
vellous, you are not conterted with
well authenticated facts but youp push on
to the doubtful, and from that to the false.
This might not do any harm if you
kept to the regions of the ideal world,
but you come down to real life, and busy
yourselves with your neighbours affairs,
indulge yourselves in speaking Of his
character, * often observations, which
/ are made in pIayfulness and in smiles
are repeated by folly in soberness, and
are caught upby malice for purposes
of vengeance and destruction-Envy
is forever proving after something to
bring the prosperous to taste the cup
ofmisery. How could Hercules war
with SANDER? No; all and each of you
must Join to destroy it-enter into a
league to drive it from the market place
and from the bath; make every one in
famous who is in the habit Of trifling
With the characters Of others: suffer
not the ale-bearer, if male to wear
| a sword IF 4 fcmale put some mark
upon her dress that she may be known.
You designate your courtezans by
their dress they onlvdegrade them
selves, while the slanderer degrades
the whole community. Such methods
would do more TO extirpate this evil
than all the giants of all ages united.
"In ancient days, it is said that a
monster held the destinies Of this our
beloved city, and every year he de-
manded seven of the most beautiful of
our youths as a sacrifice to his accur-
sed appetite. They were chained to
rock, or thrown into the labyrinth to
be devoured, and Athens was in per-
petual mourning. At length Theseus
slew the minotaur, and relieved the
wailing mothers and enraged fathers OF
Athens from this horrible and shame
ful tribute. This monster demanded but
seven victims yearly who were put out
of misery at once, while SANDER claims
countless victims every day, and does
not kindly despatch them, but permits
them to live after having taken from
them all that gives any charm to lite.
Athens does not mourn an hour for
those who perish by the slanderer's
breath (! O., dearly beloved sons and
daughters of Athens, your PRIEST OF
THE Cons implores you to correct
this disposition for NEWS and par
ticuIarly for such as comes from the
.shrines of your domestic affairs. Dis
sipate your passions for news on the
affairs Of nations and the changes OF
the world, but the diyinities of the
household should never be Intercepted
and if inquired of should never yield a
response unless made in the hallowed
accents Of discretion and friendship"
1t is said that the Athenians, struck
with the business of these remarks
from their Priest Of Apollo, returned to
their dwellings, and for long time
not sIanderous whisper was heard in
their abodes nor in the streets OF the
city. Is notthis an example worthy
| of imitation