Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-01-05

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Bancfoft's, the favorable asasa 81 CON.
temporarics has becn reversed BY posseri.
y. The stream of time has not washed
tout any Of the merits Of Hcrodotus, Thu.
cydides, Gibbon, or Robertson, that
were recognized by their contemporar.
les. The historian who is a classic with
his own generation will easily and sure.
ly maintain his place with pcsterity.
But we must let the critic express bis
own views. In alluding to redseming
traits in Bancrofl's manner, the critic
says: zone other quality it had, which
contributed largely to the success Of the
work, though we are not sure that il
will add 10 its merits in the estimation
Of postcrity. twas animated through.
out by lcrvid spirit Of patriotism; q
love Of country too exalted to be dis:
eliminating, and an !miration of the
American polity, which would brook no
limitations and admit OF no defects, col.
ored his pages so highly, that the his.
torian seemed to give place TO the eulo.
gist, and the leading .personases of the
story TO be uniformly represented as
saints or heroes. Foreigners are apt to
ridi:ule such manifestations Of rational
feeling, and even Americans would re.
quire its expression to be more temper.
ate. The historian who would write for
posterity must remember that distance OF
time has the same effect as distance Of
place in SOLDERING the judgment, and re.
ducing all colors to a uniform neutral
tint"
We paused over these sentiments for
some time, uncertain Of their meaning.
In looking over the fields Of literature it
was difficult for US to recognize that "a
fervid spirit OF purIio,ism," e"a ton Ax.
alted love of country" were elements Of
weak ness in an American historian, for
whose exhibition posterity would be like
ly to forget him. Anancient writer Of
an epic history, record Of the seige Of
Troy, certainly had an exuberant patri.
otism, and an ardent love ofcountry, but
posterity has not driven Homer into a
mass Of "uniform neutral tint" Such
has not been the fate of Virgil, of Hero.
dotus, Thucydides, nor Of Livy. We do
not know of any historian Of his own
country who has undertaken display
of "the uniform neutral tint" whose
colors were strong enough to break
through the shadows ofposterity. They
have been. completely drowned in the
neutral tint. ..
The critic Of the North American Re.
view evidently anticipates that time
will come when posterity will less ad.
mire the virtues of the fathers Of the A.
meric an Republic than their contempor.
aries. The idea is based upon the opin.
ion that "distance of time has the same
effect as distance of place in SOLDERING
the Judgment, and reducing all colors TO
uniform neutral tint" Now it seems
to us that all history proves the reverse
of this to be true. The heroes and sages
of the American revolution will be like
ly to be more uniformly admired by pos
terity than they were by their contempt.
raries. The judgment Of contcmporar'
les is likely TO be warped by "a greatvar'
iety of personal relations which do not
enter into the feelings of posterity. Peri
cles is much more universally admired
now than he was in Attica or her depen.
dencies during his life, and for long
period subsequent to his death. His
greatness created envy, his policy neces-
sarily exaspefated many powerful con.
temporaries, and the continuous efforts
Of Aristophanes and his satellites were
to reduce the colors in the character oil
Pericles to "a uniform neutral tint
Posterity has never attempted the neu.
trail tinting that failed so, signally in the
hands Of the contemporaries Of the great
Atheniah statesmen. Serene in his in
tellectual greatness, unrivalled in the
magnifcence ofhis conceptions, and un'
surpassed in theil execution; possessing,
in the Language Of Mr.. Grote, call the
mighty forcaste Of Themistocles, coupled
with the pecuniary integrity Of Aris'
tides, "Pericles. stands before the world
more universal object Of admiration
than he stood in the palmiest hours oi
his Athenian greatness. His virtues
like those Of all truly great men, have
survived the malice Of his contemporar,
enemies. And thus it is that distance
of time has ever dealt with the truly
fl great. The neutral tint never seize
them. Washington, Hamilton. Adams
and all the great worthless Of the Ameri
can revolution have reached the frs
stage Of their journey through ths terri
! tories Of Postsrity. and they gstaad,s q
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