The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-06-26

!
~. across the iEgeun sea, IL i!Ies
,alv. That high mountain On thu
nprlh part, Is 81, mpns the oar
senth nrthbt. is Dssa. Can yo1 per
criN,,' said my genius. 'hctween
these two mnuutains, a beautiful YER
da II lawn. thronhg winch are r'in.
ming many small streams. ovrrsha
dcd by weepiug willows - SEE IL,
| repIicd. That sad my geo'n-,
F.. is the vale of Temp. The most
luXariant. anh romantic spot IN
Greece aud which thr poets have
celebrated Is the set % perpetual
spring. The ncnlu1uh which yon
ser, al some dist rn.c - thu south III
fhc-saly. IL Attlra. This com-
plrtcs our cleeult. DO yon see. near
the centre Of The prnmonIory. high
citadel ballt upon a steep aud rug
ged rock ? to see H. replied
|. That said my genlus. Us the
Aerop i g of ancient Athens. Yes,
that small collection Of houses near
the citadel, represents the splcndor
of city, once the Nurse Of rloqnence
and philosophy, aud The mother oi
the arts. Look back bit few cen
turtles. aud think what This city was.
the age Vt Pericles. Think OF tbs
city, then IN the meridian al lts
siren 9Th and splrador not Only thr
capital # Attlca. but The mistress oil
Greece. Ihio, "t de strength oi lis
army. the creatures ot it, empire.
the eXlcat oi its i'll ienrc. Gni1k
oftlc Persian, Wlon il hnmble !;
of the nations 1t ow ed lis power !,
Of thc ultimate masters oF the
world. 10 whom il gave laWs.* Think
to-, OF the perfect N, which, II that
age. oratofN. the drama; aud the
arts aitaiuel. Bui NOW. how dcgra-
ded ! how lalleu Where are the
walls 81 IhemiStpeles. once famed
10, th'ir streNgfll ! Where Is the
active. inielli e I, race ofne 1ple that
once III lablrd W,lhln those walls,
the conntrymrn Of Arislidcs, and Cl-
mon I'D PtrICles Where are the
theatres AID temples. that once
a iproed tho city Where il the
academy, which rcsonnded with
the sublime philosophy Of Plato !
Where are the halls, and pnrlI-
COS, and groves, and gardens,
where Socrales brought down phi.
losophy from heaven To man :
Where il the forum, in watch DE
m,sll,encs warned his conntr,nrn
that war was abroad ? Where il The
theatre, IN which the deep tragedies
OF Euripides melted IN audieneo To
tear, Where Is The living canvas
of Tenxis? Where tine speaking
,nAluie ot Ph,dias : Alas , they are
ralr. With one solitary exception,
thr ruthless hand ol the barbarian
hath toru away every rel'ck ot geni-
us. every monument OF art, which
time had spared Bat TIE Parthe-
non still stands, a npbie monument
Of the magn,ieence of prp1tlcs AID
the sail vi Paldlas. Reflect then.
D ! vonih. upon the wrecks al liInt /;
---.,,n the revelations pl lAr WorI1,
lnlrrro gate tie rulas u what once
was spIrndld Tue ldllins aud lhil-
ca monnneaLs of anlmuty. I u
instructions which they lbpart, MI
he pr,iilablc To tnce, Ibcy speak n
, laugna z nol t. be misunderstood.
ybr, tell Inrc ol the @orthl",spess
ol all things human ;--lhf in'tabilI-
" Of AL thlas, earthly. Tbcy trach
thee to place Thy happiness h solnr-
tang more substantial. Ihe( itdrh
thee 10 loo,. beyond the Confines ~ the
croAn ii glory that Ia
deth mol away. Ia now, anl think
of thcse Things Al that instant /
aWake. found myself sill seated
among the ruins ot the temple. /
arose. and, fall al deep Thought re-
tired To my h"5itatIpn. \. u. IL.
i The Romans sent to Athens ipr
a copy vi ,5oipn'o laws.