The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-05-08

Backwo ,ds Magazine contains an able
aud lengthy essay upon Ancient and Mod
crn Eoquencc. The writer, in noting the
iudi.pu,abIc fact .f Tho superiority of aa-
cicnl 10 modern e'oluence, says, III = the
more remarkable that this great and deci-
sive superiority en- the part Of ancient ora
,orv should exist, when il is recollecied iha,
the infor.na,,on, sphere Of ideas, and image
~ a, the command Of public speakers in
modern times, is 50 widely extended in com.
parison al what il was in Greece and Rome. :
He then aIludes To The themes and iilus'ra-
lions presented the modern orator IN the al
most Infinite extension OF science, OF the
geographical and physical knowledge Of the
globe, the boundess wonders Of the heavens.
poetry, chivalry, history, and above all, re-
lgion; tha, that has openeda new ionn.aia
in the human heart, and implanted IN every
bosom--with The exception ofthasc utterly
depraved- asociation and recollec'ions 81
once Of The mos, Purifying and moving
kind The awful imagery and touching
incidents. the pure ideas and universe! char
iiv. prevailing and inculcs,ed in the Old
ana New Testament Scriptures. afford a
store Of images and associations which, oil
all others, are the most powerful in moving
The human heart. Ii one.half Of this maya
zine of IDEAS and knowledge had been al
the disposal Of tho orators Of antiquity, the
writer is Of opinion, they would as much
more have exceeded those Of modern Eu-
rope. He canno. account for it, why the
ancen,s with their comparatively limited
exten, of materials for eloqnence should so
far have excelled the moderns. The re-
Election suggests an answer, which can be
but surrnise.
We read of the pursuit Of knowledge I'M
der difficulties; ,ha, some OF the most en-
liehiened men OF modern days were for q
series of wears, from their unfortunate stun
tons in life, denied access to the fields Of
knowledge sown broadcast through our
land. The few books they obtained increas-
ed their ,hirs, for more, they procured only
such as they uanted aud obtained them but
uhea they lranted them; the consequence was
they had access to only good books and but
few in number; the result Of which was,
they became thoroughly familiar with The
contents OF such books as they did peruse.
Now -a-days the matter is reversed, books
abound, they are manufactured for sale and
so cheaply that every man who can WELD
pen must become an author. II has be-
come matter Of speculation and 1t is a
speculation upon the minds Of the people
Every man in community is affected BY ii,
and no one lifts warning voice nor makes
an efiar, to sap this growing i'll. The mind
of man is no, comprehensive enough 10 re-
tain the volumes of printed rnatter that are
rolled in upon him, nor is i, orderly enough
10 systematic the matter Tor private use,
nor has i, the time when garnered to separ
ale The wheat from the chaff. 1t becomes
hur,hened, overladen, and one fact after
another escapes, until the individual finds
it a matter requiring some industry TO keep
pace with the progress of the age in which
he occupies the conspicuous place OF a mole
cule. in ancient times books were less
plenty and more comprehensive, therefore
OF more real worth. The fact Of il is, 10
brief. such mass Of reading is thrown ia
upon The mind Of Moderner that il be
comes suriei,ed, palled, aud if i; see any
thing it is its own inin,essimalness. Thus
would we surnise the pre-eminence Ct an
Gent over modern eloquence.