Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-03-20

NY Tic cAlStcHCC vi CiNli dhu poiiliCai ihsti-
tutions.' And while its ctymology would
give to the latter the more prominent place
in deciding its meaning, such is not, in re-
ali.y, its highest feature. What noble truth
is expressed in the words of the philosoph-
ical Collard on this immediate subject: "Hu-
man Societies are born, live and die upon the
earth there they accomplish their destinies.
But aften his engagement to society, there
still remains in man the more noble part Of
his nature, those high faculties by which he
elevates himself to God, to future life, and
to the unseen blessings of an invisible world.
We, individuals, each with separate and
distinct existence; We, truly beings endowed
with Immortality; ve have higher destiny
than that of States" These, then, are the
two chief, essential elements of perfect civil
zation: social and political refinement and
intellectual and moral development. The
latter is the more exalted feature, and the
two are almost co-existent social security
must ever be followed by mental improve
ment, and intellectual refinement is often pro-
ductive of political excellence. The latter,
however, has often resulted from stern Neces-
sity, and in many cases she has truly been the
noble "lNothcr Of nrentton." These re-
suits have been invariably followed by this
higher feature of civilization, and it may be
safely asserted that this, in its most salutary
form, is oftener the consequence than the
cause of the former. Yet this assertion
should be in no wise immoderately ly maintain
ed, nor is the line of relation by any means
drawn with mathematical accuracy. That
which has ever brought well ordered gov
ernment from amid the noise and confusion
of Revolutionary strife, is an unseen power;
and that benefcent Providence which marks
the fall of every sparrow to the ground, has
so ordered that every expansion of human
intelligence is replete with good to the race.
Civilization may so far advance and man may
constantly improve so as to form conceptions
more and more correct Of true perfection,
but that he shall ever experience that happy
state, fallen and corrupt as he is, cannot be
hoped for. 1t is quite sufficient if he docs
all he can do towards improving himself and
his race, and then waits with faithful patience
for the solution of that problem for which
he has 'ycarned; which must be revealed only
when this corruptible shall have puton incor-
ruption and this mortal shall have put on i'm
This is the great object of civil
zation-this lofty moral education and this
the greatest problem to which it can lead us
what must be the end?
These too elements of civilization must 60
hand in hand; where one is found there
must the other be also, or it is but half COM
plete Mere intellectual progress can not
protect a>people a in the constant action and
reaction of nations upon each other, unless
united with such political security as shall
afford barrier to ambitious encroachment.
A nation of pure philosophers would be as
helpless amid the continual strife of ma
tional policy, as was Archimedes, in his clos
ct, planning means of destruction for those
very enemies who were even then penetra-
ting his retreats. And so, well-ordered
government, if not sustained by correspon-
ding individual refinement, would fall, depri-
ved of its surest means of support. In vain
were the Greeks of Byzantium possessed of
all the wisdom and learning of Ancient
Greece, of the best and purest models of ev
cry description i'm vain did they see ensla-
we'd the descendants of Themistocles, of Le-
onidas and Epaminondas-they had all this;
to elevate the mind, stir the soul
and move the heart of man, and not sim
gle idea, not single vital principal did they
give towards Strengthening their own politi-
cal fabric, and not an effort did they make
to tear
"- the name deflcd from slavery's mourn
ful page"
Of the unhappy offspring of departed heroes.
On the other hand we turn from this sicken-
ing page of calous Indifference, and behold
the Italian mind acquiring force and fire a.
mid the chaos of the middle ages, and even
when threatened by the swords of German
ic invaders, tanning the bright spark of Lib
erty and Patriotism into noble fame
In consideration of the many moral evils
that infest the highest civilized societies, it
has been ably argued that "semi-civilized
state equally removed from the two extremes,
Of barbarity and refinement, seems to be that
particular meridian under which the recipro-
cities and gratitudes of hospitality do most
really flourish and abound. For it so hap
pens that the ease, the luxury and the abun-
dance of the highest state Of civilization are
as productive of seLfMness, as the difficulties,
the privations, and the sterilties of the lo'r-
est 1t is in this middle condition of civ
ilization that mankind arc equally ignorant
of the sublimer and turbulent passions:-
'.Far from the maddening crowds ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learn to stray;
Along the cool sequestred vale Of life,
They keep the noisecss tenor of their way"
So long as Persia maintained the simplici-
ty of that political jurisprudence she once
could boast, she was the most powerful ma
ton in the world; but when her frugality
was relaxed by luxurious refinement, her
motto was changed from that of a powerful
nation to the more appropriate onc--ri'cri
guam cssc.
The mind, pre-lisposed to begin the ex-
animation of any topic at its source, natural
ly turns from the inert condition of Asa,-
mhcre IRE trnre he genesis ct ctrH ho~s-to
that of Europe, ,-Europc restless, agitated