Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-31

role age Of Greece and Rome with its reproduction
in the middle age. We cannot resist the temptation
to quote from the Schema Nuoya" one of its con-
GLIDING paragraphs
Having observed" says yico, in this treatise, how
societies recommence the career let reflect on
the manifold comparisons which this work suggests be-
antiquity and modern times and we shall find in
them the explanation not only Of the particular and chro
biological history of the institutions and exploits Of Greeks
and Romans, but the philosophical history astoria deaie
of those eternal laws which all nations follow in their be-
gnnngs, their progress their decadence, and their fall
and which they would always follow though infnity
of States should rise successfully through all eternity
Through the diversity of their exterior forms and politics
apprehend the substantial identity of this hstory
that refuse thswork the proud title
haps, of The New Science To this appellation it lays
claim by its subject subject truly universal and of
which the idea embraces all science worthy Of the
idea that is indicated in the expression of Seneca
Pusaa hc mandus est, n i'd quod quarit on'ns
das habit"
Thus our readers will perceive the English divine
and lecturer on History was forestaed by the TIA
liam philosopher and jurisconsult
the history of like periods in every State is substan
tally Identical might expect the historians of these
several periods to bear family likeness to each other
and accordingly we find the same unconscious simplicity
of narrative which spreads such charm the pages
of Herodotus the Homer Of historians re-appearng in
the simple moraities Of Philip de Confines and the
phsticated bohosas Of Frossart We have not time to
trace the points of similarity but merely hint it to
readers and leave them to complete the picture doubt
ing but that they recall features Of mental
sembance between these historical worthless than Putarch
able to exhibit in many of his parallel lives As
single confirmation Of DIR. Arnolds statement that the
anda If
during the administration of Percles was substantially
MODERN refer readers to that fine specimen of So
cratic irony preserved in Xenophons memorabilia,
where the "conscence argument" in behalf of "hgher
law overriding specific Legislative enactment is impa
ed the keen shaft of the ronca philosopher the pas
sage is found, believe, in the first book and second
chapter of the work we have named. How much of poll
teal wisdom have lost in the persisted records Of Ars
tote only be estimated by that which is to be derived
from the imperfect treatise Politics which has
tualy reached The national land reformers and
yourseafarm politicians living attestatons of the
face that the Gracch of Rome "moderns" in the
fullest of the term We rather think however the
Gracchi greatly slandered by the comparison for if
rightly apprehend their political platform" they
the "best abused of their times, and we feel
disposed to forgive Niebuhr for many of his
to Roman history when remember the intrepdty he
locks Having thus cursoriy glanced at the distinctive
classification of universal history ancient and MODERN
the yastness and compexiy of the latter will APP
pear notony from its internal Developments but from
its relations to the former for modern history COM
pick of the present with the past and the present is
something and better than the past because it
bines the wisdom of the ancicnts with the habite of
the moderns All changes in the political world all the
varying phases of society all tho discoveries Of SCIENCE
and all the productions of literature are many additions
the constantly accommodating stock of historical science
that the Muse of History needs nothing but the myhc
incarnation Of the classic mythology justify her in say
ing "Nu hunaani alienum puto" That celebrated
thesis of Pic de la Mirandoe, "De Onan Sc resolves
itself into thesis de Hsorid There is speculation
concerning modern history which, if it be too pre-
sumpuous and fancifu invests it with awful splendor
and magn6cence There are who think that we of mo-
dern times are they upon whom the ends of the world
have COME and live in the last epoch of history
that at the fall Of the Western Empire the were
shifted usher in the last act in the worlds drama and
that the plot thckens around us, reminded at
of the final denouement and of the long interval that
must still be required to expcate the entanglements
which perpex and clear the obscurtes which mys
y in attempts TO guess at the far impending ISSUE
There at least two considerations which prevent
from scouting this hypothetical dogma the vagary
of dstempered imagination. The first is that we are
reminded by very chronology that live in period
in which it has pleased Heaven make its last revelation
race, and to seal up henceforh the vision and
the prophecy the seconds that modern civilization is
endowed with element of conservation in the of
printing that almost to preclude the possibility of
another relapse into barbarism. If thus
scously acting dling part in the last act Of Times
"eventful history is it not something else than the
embodied spirits Of heroes and statesmen of patriots
fessors, and martyrs, like great cloud of Witnesses
watching with deepest sohctude the evouons that
gradually unfolding in the unseaed volume Of history
the mysterious problem of Proyidencef
The degree Of credibilty be attached history
quantity very variable that general rules of moral
anaycs furnish criterion by which to pronounce
upon history in the Bolngbroke in his Essay
the Study Of History conutes the Pyrrhonsm Of those
skepcs who all confidence in history both
cred and proane though he himself very complacenty
INDUCES them in little dubety about the former When
Sir Robert Wapoe, after his withdrawal from public life,
and during his last Illness asked by his Horace
IL he should beguile his tedum by reading him
passages of history the only reply Of the queruous and
repning statesman was Do not read history for it is
too late to with fctons" Dr. Johnson every
knows rated this department Of literature very cheap
ly puzzlepated Dutchman, Heinrich Cornelius Agrip-
pa, friend, however Of Erasmus and great in his
day. composed abored treatise TO prope that history
wholly destitute Of wellfounded claims to crediby and