The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-25

have accomplished much towards furnishing the
materials of such history; and Becker, in his Gal
lus, has drawn picture not unintcrestng OF the
private life OF the Romans at the commencement OF
the empire.
/ know nothing of the fact, but once had an in
timaton that one of the most distinguished writers
OF time and of our country has had his thoughts
turned to this subject for several years If this be
80, and the work, said to be IN contemplation, be
perfected it will be true, have doubt, that
the civil history OF the great Republic of antiquity
viii have been written, not only with thorough re
search, but also with elegance of style, and chase
classical illustration, by citizen OF the great Re
public Of modern times | trust that when this
work shall appear If II shall appear, shall not
only the Roman Consul and the Roman Gene
raj, the Conitia and the Forum, but that we shall
also sec Roman hearths and affairs, the Roman ma
tron at the head of her household, Roman children
IN their schools of Instr uctlon and the whole OF 10
man life fully presented to view, 80 far the
materials, now existing IN separate and special
works, afford the means
1t 10 in our day only that the history and progress
Of the civil and social institutions and manners oil
England have become the subjects OF particular at
tention.
Sharon Turner, Lngard, and, more than all, Mr.
liaafn, have LAID this age, and all following ages
under the heaviest obligations by their labors III
this field of literary composition; nor would sep
arate from them the writings OF moot learned and
eloquent person, whose work on English history il
now III progress, nor the author Of the Pictorial
| History OF England. But there is still wanting q
full thorough, aud domestic, social account of ouI
English ancestors, that is, history which shall
trace the progress Of social life in the intercourse
of man with man: the advance of arts, the various
changes in the habits and occupations Of individ-
uais; and those improvements in domestic life
which have attended the condition and meliorated
the circumstances OF men In the lapse OF ages. We
still have not the means Of learning, to any great
extent. how our Engsh ancestors. at their homes
and in their houses, were fed, and lodged, and
clothed, and what were their daily cmployInents
We want history Of fresidcs, we want TO know
INf,.
for beds Of down, and ceased 10 brea fast on bee
and beer. We wish 10 more and to know more
o! the changes which took place, from age to age
III the homes Of England, from the castle and tn.
palace. down to the humblest cottage. MIR. Hcnry't
book, Tar II goes, is not without its utility
but If stops too soon, and even in regard to the
period which it embraces is not sufficiently full and
| satisfactory ir It's particulars.
The icudsl ages were military and agricultural
but the splcndor OF arms, III the hi9ory of the
times, nnonopoized the genius OF writers; and per
! haps materials are not now abundant Tor forming
| a Knowledge of the essential industry OF the coun
| try He would be public beneiactor who should
instruct IN the modes Of cultivation and tillagt
prevailing IN England from the conquest down
| and in the advancement of manufactures from
! their inception IN the time OF Henry " to the pc
Rod of their considerable development two centu
| ries afterwards.
| There are two sources of information on these
subjects, which have never yet been fully explored
and which, nevertheless are overlooking fountains
! Of know ledge. mean the satutes, and the pro
Ceedings of The courts OF law. Al am early period
OF ie REQUIRED, with some degree OF attention, tt
both these sources Of information; not go much io
professional purposes for the elnCidaton of tn,
! progress OF society. acquainted myself with the
| object, and PURPOSES and substance Of every pub
lished statute ia British legislation. These showed
ne what the Legislature Of the country was con
| cerned In FROM time To time, and from year e
year. And learned from the reports of contro
vcrsics in the courts OF law what the pursuits
and occupations OF individuals, and what the oh
! Jccts which most earnestly engaged attention.
| hardly know any thing which more repays re
search than studies Of this kind We learn from
| them what pursuits occupied men during the leu
dial ages. We ste the efforts OF society TO throw
of the chains Of ths-ieudal dominion. We see, too
| IN must interesting manner, the ingenious de
vices Tesortcd to, to break the thrnldon of perso
mai slavery. We see the beginning of manuiac
turing interests, and at length bursts upon us thu
| full spl ndUr ul the commercial age.
LittletOn, Coke, Plowden, ichdi are hsy2 How
their learning iades away and become. obsolet
| when Holt, and SOmers. aud Mansfield arise, catch
!. ing themselves aud intusing all around them tin
influences and the knowledge which commerce
had shed upon the world.
| Our great teachers and examples in the histori
cal art are, doubtless, the eminent historians of tn
Greek and Roman ages. In their several way
they the masters 10 whom all succeeding time
have looked for instruction aud Improvement
They are abe models which have stood the test o
time, and, like the glorious creations in marble u
Grecian genus. have been always admired an,
/ never eur l'-ae'd.
We have our fsyoritcs in literature as well a
other things, and, I confess that, among the Gre
/ clan writ.rs, my estimate OF Herodotus 10 great
liis evident uuthfuuess, HE singular simplicity
style, and his constant respect and ycneratiOn 70
! sacred and divine thuRs, win my regard. ID i
true that he sometimes appears credulOus, which
caused Aristotle to gay Of hun, that he n story
teller Hut ia respect 10 this, two things are Ia b
| rcmorkcdi The one is, that be never ayers ms fac
that which rests ths accounts ot others; the othe
] a "A ira md hNy
| tended to confirm hs hdciity. From his greh
qualities o. writer. well - from the 70 II
/ which Do lived, be- D. justly dcnOmiuatcd the " Fa
/ Tier 81 History Hrfodutus wHB touHCIentlou
| narrator If Vhtt n" suw aud heard. ln he man
nu' there D. much oi the old Epic styles indeed. hi
work may be- cnpudtrod 90 the connecting link be-
tween the Epic legend and political history; truth
fol, On the one hand since u was a genuine histo
| ~; bat, ou tio other, conceived aud executed ii
the spirit 81 poetry, ana not the proiOunder spri
81 political philosophy. u brDathcs rctCrcnta
aulinIsslsn o. th' Divine viii, aud recognizes dis
! ungiy uc governing hand 81 Providence M the ai
] iairs 81 men. Bot. upon the whole, am compcllC
t0 regard 1Luc ydidcs az the greater writer. Thu
Cydidcs was equally truthful, but more couvcrf1u
With the motives and character 81 men ia their po
htical relations. lio toUk infinite pains 60 max
himself thoroughly acquainted with transa cton
that occurred iu his oNn dpy, and which bcoam
the subject 81 hs own narrative.
u D. said, even, that pcrs,ns were employed b.
HIM To- obtain information tom both the bellge
rent powers fUr HE use, while writing the histOr
u the Pel0poucsian var.
IL was orc u the most eminent citizens Of M
Aihsni1n republic, educated under the institutiOn
OF Scion, and trained in all tho political wisdom
thrse institutions had developed ia tho two contu
nee since their establishment. more ptoiJun
intellect never applied tself TO historical inycst
cation, more clear sighted and impartial judg
81 human conduct never dealt with the fortune
| and acts II political communities.
| The work II lierOdotus ~ graphic, fluent, drn
matte, and ethical in the highesi degree; but Il
not the work 81 free citizen Of free republic pet
sOnally experienced iu the conduct Of its affair
The History Of the PcloponoEian War, Oh the othe
hand, could only have been produced by ma
who added % vast gcuius, deep personal Incl ~
into the workings 81 various public Institutions.
) A. 1hucydidcs himself says, his history wa
written not Tor the entertainment Of tho mOincn
, but o. be ga possession forever"
There can, il sccns 60 nc, bc no rcasOnnb
doubt. that the fret works by which man ~ prose-
his thoughts and feelings in orderly composition
were css,ntially pocucsl. In The earliest Writing
oi whirhwc know any thing with dis'inctncss, W
have sn union, minging, Of poetry aud fac
cmbofying the traditions aud history Of the peop
among which they arOsc
Lake other intellectual culture, this form Of hi.
tory appeared fret in the East and from the day
Of MOscs and Joshua, down 10 our own times il M
there retained Substantially the same character.
mean, % has been remarkable mixture Of u
sprit ~ history and 81 Epic poetry. IN Greece "
j yI.H.Hf a..