The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-07-19

~" tuc icNci VI WOueIu lSouic IL lleS-a
wreck Of columns aud tempies--the pave
meut Of the old Sacred Way going
through it, under the trumphal arch Of
Septimus Sercvus. Here one may zee
the old foundations laid in the time of
republican Rome, som, three thousand
years ago. In II sunny spring day when
the wind above is blowing the dust in
your eyes, as am sorry to say March
winds always do whether in Rome or An
dover, it is quite sheltered place to
walk in this crumbling old Forum. You
are admitted through rude door ut the
side, kept by a janitor, who expect two
pauls for his pains, and then it is all be.
fore you. You can scramble about among
the old ruins, finding here a shattered bit
of inscription, there au overturned cap.
ital Of C"rinthian column picking up
here aud there bits Of porphyry, serpen-
tine, oriental granite, rosso antico. and
African marble. Birds chitter and sing
and dive and soar among the tops Of the
old pillars. You climb up old starways
leading to nothing, and find your way
under vaul,c'l arches, where the damp
walls arc green aud waving with tremul-
GUS maidenhair. Antiquarans quarrel ov.
err this Forum, and exercise their ingenui.
ty in rebuilding it this way or that. To me
the matter is of small account-whether
i, extended ten feet this way or that
whether this bit Of pavement is Of this or
that era--iS all one to me. have no CD.
lection to him who settles it if any one
knows, | am glad Of it-but the enjoy
ment to me lis far greater to let it oil rest
in vague generality. Here and herea-
bouts was the Forum. Here without
dispute We see the general ground over
which this old energetic, poetic, yet prac.
,ical, race lived and moved when they
wovc history and made laws and insti,
tutions which have shaped even our pres.
ent selves-without which We could not
have been what We are. Take out OF our
language every Latin workout of our
p eScnt stock Of thought every one
born from the institutions of Romc-and
what curious remainder there would
Lc
The Romans were utilitai ians-materi-
alsts-much like the Anglo Saxons, and
yet they were poets. 1t is the anti ma
terial aud poetic part Of them that has
sharpcncd the edge by which they have
driven their history firm into human
sympathy and consciousness. What
makes Roman history SO full Of interest
to child? What but the multitude of
romances Of pa,hos, aud feeling, and he,
,..-;S.n Shnf - H.,
Quintus Curtius springlng horse aud all
with one bound into the abyss, when he
or his country must perish; Eiryinius
>tabbing his best beloved for honor
sake Mutius Scaovala burning Off his
OF honor, returning to Torture and 10
death for truth spoken to his country
Stories such as these it is that breathe
and burn yet; such as these eDchant these
old stones, and make this waving maiden
hair, that clothes the deserted arches,
seem unlike that which waves unstoried
under the damp shade of an Andover
forest 1t is this vague spirit that haunts
this place, makes it SO lovel y 10 be here,
and to wander about peaccably among
the ruins but thi. all takes flight before
the measuring tools Of the antiquarian.
l protest, too, against all modern his
tories OF Rome tha, intcrmcddle with the
dear old historic Legends. Because a
German Professor has nothing TO do but
build up IA new historic theory, shall we
give up Romu'us and Remus and the
she wolf, most rcvered of quadrupeds =
1t these things were not true, they ought
to have been, and one must hold on to
them. For my part l clasp my Rollin to
my heart, and say, as the Duke Of Wei.
lington did. when IA certain officer preten.
ded that his resignation of Office was
There Is no mistake, and there
shall be nouc
Histories have their fashions. In one
it is all the mode to abuse an au.
thor the world takes the ball in its
mouth, and runs off with it like frisky,
young puppy-out the next age comes;
and 10 ""oas acons change toutc ceta,'
the old history is on feet again.
llerodotus was pleasantly called the
father of lies. Now he bids fair to be
the standard Of truth and in this faith |
quietly enjoy my Forum by the light of
, small abridyemcnt of Goldsmith Rome
helped on by Macaulay's Lays, which,
ike everything he ever wrote, give more
graphic aud better historic ideas in "a
glowing phrase than volumes Of tedius
letal!s of the most creeping antiquarian. !
N T. Independent.
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