Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-10-07
but wrought out in harmonious and well.defned

but wrought OUT IN harmonious and well-dehned
proportions Our metaphysical systems and
mental epecu!ations arc, Gas we iiltter our
selvcs,) 10 CudIro fore yer, not merely az monu-
ments OF our faith, but of truth while the old
systems must fall into ruins, or merely furnish
materials to reconstruct the ncw-as the tenn
pies OF the gods of ancient Rome serve but to
trick ont or ornamen; the modern churches OF
the Eternal City. Ay, and it may be so. But
who will pause and gaze on the latter, when
his eyes can fasten on the gigantic forms of the
Coliseum, or the Pantheon, or the Column of
| Trajan, or the Arab of Constantine at was
among the ruins of the Capitol" (said the histo-
ran of the Decline aud Fail of the Roman EN-
pireO "that first conceived the idea of work
which has amused and exercised near twenty
years of my life, and which, however inadequate
TO my own wishes, finally deliver to the curl
osty and candor OF the public" Among the
ruins of the Capitol He felt, indeed, that his
tory was philosophy teaching by example,
He was willing TO devote whole life to the
study OF the dead, that he might learn how to
instruct posterity in their dangers and their du-
ties.
May not stop for a moment, and ask if there
is not much delusion and error in this notion OF
our superiority over former ages and if there
be, whether it may not be fatal 10 our Just pro-
gress in literature, as well as to the permanent
interests of society! ! would not ask those
who entertain such opinions to accompany me
back to the days of Aristotle and Cicero, whose
works on the subject Of government and poll
tics alone have scarcely received any essen
| tal addition in principles or practical wisdom,
| down to this very hour. Who, OF all the great
| names of the past, have possessed so profound
an influence and so wide an authority for SO
long period time be the arbiter of poeti.
cal excellence, whose fame is so secure as that
of Homer and Virgil! Whose histories may
hope to outlive those of Thucydides and Tacit-
us But would limit myself to far narrow
err space, TO the period OF the two centuries
which have elapsed since our ancestors emigra.
ted to America. Survey the generations which
have passed away, and let us ask ourselves
what have been their literary labors and scjen-
! tltic attanmens What the productions of
their genius and learning! What the amount
which they have contributed to amellorate the
condition of lnankind-to lay deep and broad
the foundations of Theology and Jurisprudence
and Medcine-to establish and illustrate the
principles OF free governments and international
) law-and to instruct as we'll as amuse the leis-
I, ure, and to refine the taste of social lie ! IN
less greatly mistake, calm survey of this
whole matter would convince every we'll bal
J anced mind, that if we may claim something for
E ourselves, we must yield much TO the scholars
Of l''osP Gays we SnaI ma 'na' n"ch oil our
own runs s., nave oGeh gfa'ed on Inc ancient
stocks That much Of what we now admire is
not destined for immortality. That much whc h
we "eeh' new IS ont an iII-d'sguised pinnder
ron me old REPOSITORIES ana ina, much winch
} we 'SQhl 10 De rue consists OF o.d iaLaceF' Oh
te" fe'u'eu ana 'or4""en or OF unfPe theoF es'
"nch must per'sh ny me Way-SidH' or DC ch'k-
ca 10y 0y o'hef Nee's % d kindred CROWN
1"e Fu'h 'S' 'Hd' no s'ng'e generation OIL
ntn .al accomplish lioGn OF i'SeI or Qr .'seH
"''o'' ""Ss ''''' ceS' :, %'y I1SI upon "iiaI mas
ocI" u''"e pe'oFe. Whatever may Dc me eX-
VCn 10y u "tt'y VI 'doo'S ana al'a'hhehls huch
VI '"I'n wiz i",' ~ 'rHTH pos'er'ty' ana huc"
""','' 'o'on7a "e'n W." oe 'U'' NOV as us
''nct '"r'ld''o"' uu' Oily as component Ih!!ed'-
ems u '"e genera. mass o. hho"'ea many
o. Tie hhnot 'a'S OF one age ceaSe 10 oe such !"
'he neEl winch succeeds IT. ahn' al nest, aI'eF
huu' season OF reho"h' 'ney iu'euy pass
away anu sep Nh ~ 'I'c common cohG'eFy OF
,'1 pa '. rs - 10 @o ~ a ". "H 1
l'ns "u anI's's' "'"i ~ asiu .Ie vSst 'n-
pr1"hUe Owe! 'e Instant anu tue ooscure'-