The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-12-31
Great Events from Little Causes.


byways" Of history, how curious it is 10
seek out the springs which set the world in
motion, and to read how the most trivial
circumstances have occasioncd the subver-
sion Of empires and erected new ones III
their stead; in a word, how the most i'm
por,aut events came 10 pass from very liz
considerable causes. \ few instances,
''thongh AT random strung," may be inter
csting.
The story Of Scmiramis shall be or FIRST
instance. How this beautiful heroine bv
her charms and her yalor won the heart and
crown of Minus, King of hssyr,a. history
doth tcll.-- EuamoTed of lis bride. one un-
lucky morning he resolved OF tie pleasure
of seeing all Asia subject 10 the will of one
who had possession Of his heart: he there
fore gave her absolute authority for the
space Of ono day, and ordered all his sub
jcc,s to execute the commands of Semra-
mis-. i wise and prudent woman would.
doubtless. have made use Of this frolic t. toll
Minus Of hiS faults; not 50, however, Semi
ramis she consulted her ambition and her
cruelty, for rs soon rs Minus had ulaccG
this power in her hands she employed it in
causing him TO be aSSasSiuatcd. The trai-
tors whom she employed for this vile pul-
pose reported that the King had cvci. up
the reignS OF the empire 20 his wife because
he found his end approaching: this the pco-
believed, aud readily acknowledged Semi
rams as their sovereign. How she used
her newly acquired power by building the
city Of Babylon, employing two millions of
men; how she extended the Assyran en-
pire by lcvelling mountains. turning the
course of rivers, and building vast cities /:
and how she failed in her attempted con-
quest Of India, and was in consequence.
privately put TO death by her son Ninas
history doth narrate: we have told enough
to prove how little cause produccda great
effect.
Agesilaus. when in the flush of conquest,
was one day suddenly seized with the
cramp in his left leg, which caused him
great pain. "Mlen thinking that il had
been but blood which filled the vein. phy-
stefan being there opened vein under the
ANGLE of his foot, but there came such album
dance Ofblood that they could not stanchi t,so
that lac swooncd often and was in DANCE, of
present death. lniine, n way was found TO
stop it, and they carried him To I.accdr-
mon; where he lay sick a long time. so that
he was past going To tho wars any more.
and so l.NcedTmon lost her hero.
''lu most naval fights" says Sir Thos.
Brown "Some notable advantage, error. or
unexpected occurrence hath determined the
victory. The great fleet of Ncrvcs was
ovcrthrown by the disadvantage of n mar.
row plain for battle. In the encounter of
DuiliuS, the Roman, with the Cartharcni-
nm feet, n new invention of iron CoRyI
(brtaks TO the ships) made the decision of
the battle on the Roman side. The uncx
pccted sailing Of the CallcyS of Cleonatra
lost the battle of Actium. Even in the bat
tie of Lcpantc, if Caracoza had given the
Turks orders not to narrow on account of
the number of Christian galleys, they had
in all probability declined the adventure ola
battle; and even when they came To fight
the unknown force, an advantage Of tho
eight Ncnitian gallias>cs gave the main
stroke unto the victory"
ArchimedcS. we know, set fire 10 tbc
ships of NlarceluS ut q considerable dis
lance, by burning glaccs; and this philoso.
pher. who had offered To move the world
with lever. was taken off in very I'M
seemingly manner: for he was killed by n
soldier who knew him not, while intent on
some gcome'rical figures which he had
drawn upon the sand
Rome had its foundation by the twin bro
Tiers Romulus and Rcmus. saved from the
torrent of the Tibcr; aud the preservation
ofthe capital by the cackling of geese, arc
examples of great effects from littld causes,
too familiar to need quotation in detail.
The founding of Carthage by Dido. is n
kindred event; for the cunning colonist. 10
escape the cruelty Of her brother pyGmal.
ion. put her goods and chattcls on board
ships, and sailed in quest of new settle
mens. Having landed on the African
coast, Dido is said 10 have bought from the
natives MS much ground MS she could COM
pass with bulls skin. In this transaction
she cvincod both ingenuity and ma,hcma,i-
cal skill. for she not only cut the skin into
very smell thongs. but after Joining them,
laid them in the form Of n circle. n iicrre
which enclcscS the largest space by the
smallest bounding line, On that ground
she built Carthage. ono of the celebrated
cities ornntiQuiiy. The latter part ci this
account has been disputed. but il has often
been quoted ms authentic history. $50
The TALL OF Lucreiia was the cause Of the
expulsion of the kings from Rome. and the
rhnnpc ol ihc inn,nrchy into n t,N,kI,,