Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-12-22

a. t.,,i!.. ,...- (. ...,.., ~. !. y l-,.iiI r,,~i;s
sc..lI.:Y. g, III. a.g ~ t:.:u-.-oa n-! ,E.iali
pberr, ard ali ;h1re, III enor1, who teek 20 lea! 'I
march Of human thought. Il ;h- development &
material wealth aud power, tI"rc oe'tr hh" "'r
tuch 4 period cs the irc=e'; II ,lc history 81 The iu
r,au rae. Cao We say tx IAN" Of tue care '"s'o"
FL ulou lie mora! rcsuurc.s! lEai ;ao NOR" PIC
5rers o! our race has been S:sat. ! have a:"ady nj
mitte!; but IS there not danger, tba. IL i's eager pUI
salt II material wealth, aud l,Lysics! Improvement
we ulny not sufficiently consider too culture OF 'hrs
moral resources whose development l. 50 imPortsn
TO a high national character!
If the uses Of human history hc such n, nppr"A!
nhtv TO those ! have described, how Gun we ov"r-es
! innate their Importance, or thu, OF Tho faithful histo
r!au! When | speak OF the historian, l DO not meal
him only who narra,cs events in letters Hnd sentences
10 who preserves u record Of thoughts and sentI
ments. is IS much 10 be valued a. n historian, as III
who chronicles human actions and passions; and ht
who preserve Il great conception for the u&cs Of pos;ori
Is, performs tie duty OF a historian, no matter what tn,
aiiapo in which ii may be perpe;uat"d as Il Possession
to mankind. Thucvdides WAS 10 more n historian OF
the tins OF Poriclcs, than phidiGs; from tho ono VT
learn tho march of its events; from the other, III,
state Of the art; mud realise u conception Of t!:a
beautiful, 50 preserved US Ia be food FOR the though
OF after ages. The Elsiu marbles are as valuable 70
I'd, in an historical point Of view, as Tho most splendid
passages OF Thucydidesi and the irisss5 of the parthe,
aon are go many pictured pages. which speak Of the
past both to the mind and eye oi,ho bcholder, and al.
most with the force o! u living w!tEcir. Whatever
preserves ~ ioea, or the memory Of Il fact, Tor the
burcft Of man, 10 historical iI i.s uses, and al The va.
rious forms IL which this object Is attained. deserve
our study and consideration. The great historians
who are distinguished alike f.: powers OF narration,
sagaciuus criticism, and faithful delincstions OF the
character OF nations or individuals, are truly OF rare
occurrence, "hosn.1e ccn.sEuyii.' II is not ior every
orc, or every people. to produce oven QUO Of them
Tho Th9cydides, or Tacitus, or even tho IIeroiotus,
Or L:vy OF The English language, has not yet appear.
ell. Bat N oil civilized count.ies tho means and ito
men cIis: la: collecting monuments and traditions,
irom which their history may bo understood Or writ.
zen 70 collect, and, if possible, TO arrange them, i.
The great duty OF al association such Id yours; Il duty
which it may he sud that every people, 20 lar as their
own annals ara concerned, owe to their ancestors, n
Themselves aud TO humanity.
Many Of Tie civilized nations of tho oL.th soon 10
be acting under q sense OF their obligations in hi,
regard. and IL MOS. extraordinary success has reward.
~! their labors. With the expedition Of Napoleon III.
10 Egypt, commenced a series of researches Into the
monumental history OF the earth, whoEa results have
been at ouc9 startling and gratifying. Thanks IN
modern discovery. the Rosetta table, uow ranks with
the Aruudelisn marblea IN poin; Of historical iimpor-
tuacs, aui the pictured passs On tue books OF stone
Of monumental Egypt, which foe 80 many agcs have
defed bis scrutiny, are now found 70 yield up their
secrets to the inqnisiton Of man. Tho boundaries Of
authentic history have beeu set baci for -everul ages
il the past, monuments o; moro TINA 5000 years Of
ase Lave bscu identified, and a period OF many c-u-
turtles hGs beeu recovered froro the realms OF night
and cha9s into which it had f~alcr.'
Almost over vwhere enterprises have been rel. on
foot by Government, by associations, and even by ill.,
dividuols, 10 explore tle monumental records o; our
race, aud 10 wresl from The cold, impressive facs OF
tho silent Stone srne portion. at lce=t Of The s,pry. OF
humanity. The laui Of Ella" the innutablc aud
ipIsmo.is! Eat, IS everywhere searched for il. ira. |,
treasa.os o: human .nrc, &C whole ellie. o!
thY dond have bseu uncovered 10 the astonIsLod ga1,
OF ci"iiiz~! mau. Heroes, whose ve,y oXis.oucc !
hsd secned fabulous, noS uts their appropriate
nichs n the temple Of fame, aud eeas, whose tradi-
tlUus had boon bid in tue lawful hoa" Of iunurnG-a.
bic ages, o3cn more ns.umo their plare III the page OF
authentic history. Sill, 81 VIC tread ti"se silent
OF the lors-tO.-o;teu dead, we start at the
nnni.!aEabiu a:2ns OF their fellowship wi.d ourselves
Ia al Tho Passions OF the human race. Amidst tic
maze. o! winged bulls, "., ---In.---i '."--' 80" -
pictured on the everlasting stone, tho sainu dark story
IF human suffering and human wrouI. The cou-
Iuercr. returning from afar, rods then, ss afterwards,
triumphant: in lis chariot, ard iYjected Giles Of Tue car.
Of bis bow ard sp-a:, in ead procession followed
IL us tram. Then, Us now, ma sought 10 pGTpe:uatc
story OF biz power aud prowess, by mnnumenis
% lasting o, 10 defy The rnvages Of time. a, the
on & distsut shore leaves some sigu
by which he seeks 10 perpetuate q sense OF bis pru.
,sno1 To those who may succeed him. 90 We find that
humsnl,y has act i1 ma:ksi 10 these rurnotn. ond COW
" discovered regions Of the Past. Light begins %
.tream IN many dark crypt, through h'su.es made
b. lie inves.ig 1.inS hand Of mau, add Night slowly
Iu,s il, cu7;a.1 froa, cvou:s upon which lis 'hadow
had repnasd until they had becnule forgotten, and ~
1t would be surprising, indeed, if such things
rs these had not served to awaken expectation AMI
.ite inquiry. III tho midst " 80 stirring o sczne,
uuG In view Of ,hs honorable rivalry amongst civilized
oaucrs for precedence in the path Of Historical! iugui.
~, shau apathy be found Gully here, ~ the Ancient
Is Virginia styled horse!! b. her own
Itonse Of Durscs.os go far back Us 1902 Shall We
sndyr the very records OF "ur own history to 30 Tor;
irrsvocably, when they might ba preserved with 80
trouble Surely theirs never started OIL argo-y
m IRE richly f,eigbied With human destiny. than III"
teet III three vessels, wh;rh, on the 18th OF De
1876, lof. the sborrz Of England 10 scarch Of
COR il was tho voature which trss planted
tho gel1n OF An3lr-Saaon civilization up.
tho continent Of America. Had this enterprise
been tho ~favorite subject Of all Imagination as Are!y
es that Of the Greeks, who made 30 much OF the Toy-
aye OF the Argonau,s, hnd their irst exploring e1pe.
di;iou iuto the EuyiDc, il would loug slnce have been
celebrated es 0 chosen theme in history and in song.
Zach had is tabled danger, 10 encounter, aud encl.
gave o rich promise OF real results. II tho Syniple-
rndos threateuvd 10 incloso the chip Of the ono IN their
deadly embrace, the 'stilI vcIed Derm1othe., or "lslc
Of Devils" ss tue carly adventures called il. I lay III
tho way Of The other. The bcece OF gold was The
charm which attracted both.
.Suuseu's "GyJTt's place In ua!verstd H'-to<y." -l lr,
- Of ;uE7tuetirU, snt psso' s snd -.
- usCIrg, p. Isl.
a FALssuooD SAILEo.-Thc K~now.HothinG pa
pcTs have been circulating q s]ta:cnep: thu: the Fio.
ces:le Dcmocrst hai coma out in favor OF kuow.No-
t~Iimsian. The De:nccrl, copies the stn,einen; from
the Me:;iusburS Gazette, und "dds'
1--WE copy the above from the Ms.tiusburS Ca
1el,., Il regular IV,g shUet, not that We expect It
would do Us any harm by hppeRus III Tint paper
hut 10 inform the Gazette thnt We pe"1. have, nor 90
ever expect 70 aivccs:e kuow-Nuthin1i ism, q We