The native American., 1839-02-02
FROM FIsK's TRAVELS IN EUROPE.
TIL MEDITERRANEAN.

TIL MEDITERRANEAN.
i An intense interest was excited in my owl
mind when first caught glimpse, from the gorg'
of the mountains of the Mediterranean. "Tht
sea! the sea!' vociferated, as my eyes for tht
first time lighted on those classic waters. Oh
what is there of interest to maI-what is there o.
science, of literature, Of art, history, Of religion,
that is not associated with the and the shores
of the Mediterranean sea! From the Pillars ol
Hercules, round every bay and gulf and su ,ordi-
| nate sea- in all the sinuosities OF the indented
coast to the Pillars of Hercules again. there is not
| league in the distance which has not its classic
associations. The trough of the Mediterranean is
the centre of the world and on It's shores, or in
their neighborhood all the great transactions of the
worlds drama have been beheld. Not far from
this, man was first created-and here too he was
redeemed The patrarchs some Of them at least
saw these waters and on their eastern boundaries,
the tribes of Isreal had their inheritance. Here
literature was cradled and the arts not only
born here, but here they were matured and per-
fected. On this inland ocean, navigation was so
advanced and the mariner SO trained, as prepared
the way and prompted to the effort to traverse the
Atlantic and find new hemisphere. As the
waves break at my feet fancy that it may be the
same blow that laved the sides of the ship Argo
in which Jason sailed for the golden fleece or
he was conveying the alphabet TO Greece or per-
haps is the treacherous surge that broke overthe
ship Of Palinurus and washed HIM into the sea
or, if none of these, it may have danced beside
the ship Of the Apostle Paul in his Passage to
Rome.
What has not the Mediterranean beheld? She
is the chronicle of the world, and on her shores
the history of the nations is recorded Egypt and
Carthage, Tyre and Sidon, Greece and Rome, all,
all have had their day and printed their indelible
history on these shores. Even Jerusalem, the
city Of the great king, could almost look from the
heights of Zion into the Great Sea-" Here too
is the birth place of republicansm, where those
models Of government and principles of jurispru-
dence were advanced which have been the admi-
ration and study Of all succeeding ages.
But what is the Mediterranean now In point
of literature and science far brighter light shines
upon other parts Of Europe and America, than
shines on any part Of those lands which once en-
loved the only spots of sunshine on the face Of
the earth. In great part, indeed semi-barbarism
prevails such is Africa on the South, such is Asia
on the East, and Turkey on the North What can
/ we find of civil liberty on the Mediterranean
coast? Nothing worthy Of the name. There are the
seven specks Of Islands called the Ionian Republic,
besides which there is nothing, believe, that
beals the name Of republicanism in the entire
|length and bredth Of the Mediterranean coasts.
Two thirds Of the coast is under depotsm not
one fourth Of it has even constitutional Govern
rnent and not one league of its entire shore, en-
ioys in the true import Of the term civil liberty.
And what shall we say of Religion This is the
region where the gospel was first proclaimed J;
waited these seas it spread over the islands and
along the coast in every direction, and yet, now,
alas :: how is the gold changed and the most fine
gold become dm"' With the exception of little
sprinkling of the Greek church in Greece, and
part of Turkey and Asia Minor, there is nothing
to be found but Mahommedanism and Romanisn.
All the southern and eastern, and part Of the
northern coasts, are under the undisputed sway Of
the false prophet; and Italy, France, and Spain,
are either infidel or catholic. The beast of Apo
calypso, it is said, rose up out Of the sea-
How literally has that been fulfilled How fatally
to the interest Of the church
Such being brief outline Of the past and pre-
sent the Mediterranean affords picture to the
man of literature and science, to the Republican
and the protestant Christian, of melancholy inter-
est.