Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-08-09
--"A Gadibus usque
"Aar0ram ct Gangen.'

- -"A Gadbus usque
"Aaroram ct Gangen. -
"from Cadiz to Aurora & the Ganges;''
on the other, from the burning desert OF
Lydia, to the Danube and the Rhine
an empire Of which all present France
was but province, and Great Britain
but an appendage Of that province. In
Europe, in Asia, in Africa, she saw her
eagles, like the delegate of her Jove,
bear her thunders in triumph over their
subjugated and trembling nations. How
is this prodigy to tie accounted for? Sole
ly by steadiness of pursuit. That am
bilious village proposed to herself the ac-
QUESTION Of military power, and nothing
else:-
"IID tibi eran, urtes; pacs que imponere morcm,
"Parcere SUBJECTS, ct debeIare superbos."
and the whole scheme Of her policy had
reference to, and was concentered in,
that leading object; and that policy was
steadily, and unwaveringly, and exclu-
sivesly, pursued, for seven hundred years.
The same policy that progressively rear
ed up this gigantic power against the
world, afterwards sustained it over the
world for another seven hundred years.
The power, and the policy fell together.
Rome remained ilvincible, till corruption,
after having triumphed over every thing
else, came at last to triumph over hel
military institutions-then Rome fell land
avenged the conquered world with her
own suicidal hand.
But the most interesting instance OF
the efficacy Of this stcadiness of pursuit,
was given by the city Of Athens; the
most interesting, because the object was
most so. From the earliest times, Athens
aspired to literature and the elegant arts.
They were made, ,as Montesquieu remarks
direct and leading object with the gov
ernment; singular in this respect, and diff.
fering from every other. BY steady
pursuit of the policy, adopted with view
to this end, the city Of Athens became
such monument Of the arts, that ever
her imperfect and dilapidated remains arc
at this day the wonder Of the world
What splendors, then, she must have e.
mitteG in the day other splendor! When
in her freshness, she met the morning
sun, and reflected back a rival glory!-
When she was full Of the master pieces
Of genius in every art-creations, tina
were said to have exalted in the human
mind the ideas Of the Divinities them
selves! The fervid eloquence Of De-
mosthenes failed, unequal to the task, t.
do justice to those immortal splendors
when employed, as it occasionally was
for that purpose, in his addresses to th,
Athenian People. 1t was by the stead,
pursuit Of the same policy, that their lit
erary works Of every kind (and in every
kind they were extremely numerous
came to be equally the master pieces o
human genius; and being more diffused
and less impaired by the injuries Of time
than the other monuments of the arts, ,they
were, and still are, more the wonders o
the world. They were carried to such
height Of perfection, that, after it, thu
Athcnians themselves could never sur
pass them; while others have never boel
able to equal them. Now, what ha
been the effect? Literature and the art
have gathered round that city charm
that was, and is, felt by all mankind
which no distance, no time, can dispel
No scholar, Of any age or cline, bu
has made lin fancy, at least) pilgrim
age to lis shore; there to call around hin
the shades of their mighty dead, who's,
minds still live, and delight and astonisl
in their immortal works. 1t is emphati
calIy the city Of the heart-where III,
affections delight " dwell; the green spo