Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-08-16
THE VANITY AND THE GLORY OF LITER.
AZURE

tbs head. says tharn turning over tho pages Ut the
London Catalogue one is slrsck amidst the apparent
mutations 10 literature, with the seemingly fxnd and uu-
changing Influence Of Two per;ionso 1.-THE Greek and
Roman Classics and thu Binlr. Much Of he literature
produced by both P'riakes, Doubt of the fate which
attends other kinds tho bloks they sevemlly elicit,
whether critical o theological pass away but they them.
selves retain their hold on tho human mind. become
grated into tho literature oi every civilized naiion aud
continue Ia evoke never endi series Of volumes IN their
defence. Illustration or expeatvn. On very moderate
computation we ihink II may be affirmed from nspcc
ton al this caaloguo that ut least ihird of the works
II cunairs are thu consequence, less direct OF
two portions oi literature to which hero refer III the
shape OF new editions. trsnsations commen aries gran-
mars dictionaries, historical. chronology cal and geo
graphical Illustrations
1.-The old titeek and Roman Classics have indeed
pNradnxcal destiny. They cannot il serns grow old
and time. which antiquities antiquity selt, to
expression OF Sir fhomas Browne, still leaves them
touched The anceos oone poss ssed in perfection the
art OF cinba'nilg thought
The Reviewer uoN pruceeds 10 speak OF the Bible the
other portion of literature which has retained i,s iNed
and ohchangiup Influence amid all the mutations OF ime
like some massive rock AMID nucluatng n3od. Ills
remarks upon this head well worth reading and aia
annie hed for instructive meditation Richmond Re
publican,
1.-The Bible. surprising il o1er Than ii preenda 10 bc.
presents rs with still more singular phenomenon IN the
space which It occupies thpug hnnt the continued history
ol literature. We nothing like II; aud il may well
eo,iy dsdan 10 enter little deeply into s possible
causes than he ia usually inclined 10 do. Il has boon
given to any other hook ol religion. thus 10 Triumph
national peudces aud lodge itself securely IN the heat
u great communities varying by every conceivable d.
vesity OF language, race, meuners cusloa and INDEED
agreeing in nothing but venentnn for Itself. II adapis
itself with facility TO Tho revolutions If thought aud feel
Ing which shake To pieces all things else aud lexbly
commodities itself To the progress a society aud the chan
gcs If civilization. Even conquosis the Reorganization
AL Ihp al al nfl tp
lluny Of It's empire. 1t lays hold Of the of The
old. and trnnsmig1aes with the sprlt OF humanity at
racung 10 itself, by its own moral pnwer IN all The
mnnliles It enters eeasnless Intensity Of ei1r for It's
propagation. Illustration aud defence. Other systems Of
religion usually delicate ex,cs. aud will bear
tanspantng. Tho gods Of HE nations local detes.
and reluctantly quit their native soil n all events they
palronse only their avotile races, aud perish nj
when The tribe or nation of their wushppas becomes
extinct often lang before
Nothing, indeed ia more difficult than to make foreign
feel any thing bu, nnmt indll (pxcapi
ohIsc, Of phosoph'c cursly) about the religion Of other
n1nns aud portion ollheir national literature Is
garded rs mure tedious unatuactve han that which
treats Of their Theology. Tho elegant mythoeges o
Greece and Rome made proselyies Among olher
lions. and fell hupeessy the moment Mey fell. The
Koran Of Mahomet has Is true been puppgaed by the
sword hi II has been popagaed ,y nothing elee; its do
mlnon has been limited 10 those nations who cnhd mi
reply T., that logic II tue Blha be false, The facility
with which it overeaps the otherwise impa4sabe hlunda
rs of race aud cme, aud dlnieaie4 ilsalt among ST
many different nations ia aslledly lar more striking
aud wonderful proof oil hmm ignoance, pervefsen rs
and stupidity than Is afforded IN the limited pieva auce
Of evrn the aeci sapestllons; or, II II really has
merits which, though fable have enabled II 10 impose
comprehensvey and vafansly IN mankind, wonder lnl
indeed must have been The skill IN It's comPostln so
wonderful that the nflel himself ought never Ia
gard il ba with the pr aundest reverence as Far too
cessfal and Sublime fabrication to dnl though, Of
scot ridicue.
IN his las, Illness. few DAYS before his death. Sir
w scott asked Mr.. l.ckhan read 10 him Mr.. Lock
han inquired what hppk he would like. Can ynu ask
said Sir Walter there s but osE' and requested hin 10
read chapter of the gospel of John When will equal
penius, 10 whom all the realms IT fiction are ~ familiar
10 him the like II some prpia.sed revelation, or
ignaag among n and assoeialnd with history and
cline foreign hose connected viii, the birth place #
the Bible from those Of the ancestry Of SIR Waller Soni
Can we by any stretch of imagination snppose some
Walter Scott oi race IN Australia or south Africa,
saying the same Of the Vedas or the Koun2'
Some estimate Of The hearess and bnrharnus charac
of Austrian warfare may be prne1 from the single
fact that capital cities have been blnbadrd by Aus