The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-07-08
"SensatIon" Among the Classics.
Ladies' Repository, Methodist. ]

1
ature, sensational science, sensation the
ology, sensational eloquence, sensational
everything. A man who does not tlinl
of literature, science, theology, or any
thing in the common, smooth, quiet
everyday manner-who introduces nov
elites, startling sentiments, and dramatic
effects into his plain works said to be
sensatiOnalist." He "creates sen
sation." And this is supposed to be O
late invention by certain wise people
Our foretathers, they try to make us be-
lieve, would not put up with such q
thing. A mistake, good sir, and good
madam-a mistake. Our forefathers
were just as fond of sensation as we are
Indeed, we m0derns, in almost every re.
spect are a quiet, sedate, dignified peo-
pie compared with our forefathers. II
some of those autO-da1fe, witch-burning,
lnquisition-torturing ancestors of ours
could rise from the dust, and walk about
among us for while, they would regard
us as excessively tame, stupid, and un-
interesting, and hasten back to their dust
with no sensation but that of ennui.
Did you ever hear of Dinocrates ?
You have heard no doubt of many an
Ocrates-as Isocrates, Socrates, HippOc-
rates, and such gentlemen-but did you
ever hear of Dinocrates? We will cen
imagine that few of you have not, and
therefore presume that we are not intro
ducing an old friend when we introduce
this worthy ancient. He was an architect
of Macedonia, was DinOcrates, and very
ambitious one, too. To him nothing I" in
his line" was impossible. In fact, he be-
longed to what we would call the sensa-
tional school of architects. This gentle
man made the daring proposition to
Alexander to cut Mount Athos in the
form of statue, holding a city in one
hand, and in the other basin, into
which all the waters of the mountain
should empty themselves. The feasibil-
ity of this splendid scheme did not strike
Alexander favorably, or he was not
daring or rich enough to put it into exc
cutiOn. At all events, Mount Athos
stands, just about as it did when Dinoc-
rates astOunded the people of Macedonia
with his sensational design. The only
change made since then is, the mountain
is now called Monte SantO, and is occu-
pied by monasteries and Greek monks,
who cultivate olives and vines, and are
carpenters, masOns, ETC., leading an aus
tere life, never permitting woman to
come near them, and living to great
age. 1t is not easy to tell the size of this
mountain. One authority tells us it is
about thirty miles in circumference, an
other one hundred and fifty, and another
six. Such is the manner of learned folk
Imagine modern architect proposing to
cut one of our big peaks of the White, the
Alleghenies, or the Rocky into a statue.
Well, we have men that could do it, if
they would, have we not ?-lOOk mt our
tunnels and suspension bridges-but the
scheme would create noise.
A different sort of sensationalist was
Calanus, celebrated Indian philosopher,
who lived in the time of Alexander, and
followed that great general in his Indian
expedition. He was a sturdy old fellow,
aged eighty-three at the time, had never
patronizcd decor in his life, and could
not endure the thought of being sick
In this expedition, however. old Calanus
fell sick, and was so disheartened that
he ordered funeral pile to be raised,
upon which he mounted, to the astonish-
ment of the king and his army. He
commanded that the pile should be fired,
which was done, and Alexander then
asked him if he had anything to say
No; l shall meet you again in short
time!' was the response. And so this
venerable philosopher expired, in the
presence of the whole army. 1t is said
that the old mans dying words were
prophetic, for Alexander died three
months after in Babylon. Imagine a
modern philosopher-Emerson or Car
lyle, for instance-thus getting rid of
his fleshly weaknesses. We have no such
sensations in our time.
What a tragedy was that committed
by Marius on account of dream! 1t is
the sensation of all time. This general
dreamed that he could not conquer the
Cimbri in war unless he should sacrifice
his beloved daughter to the gods. He
had faith in his dream. Sweet Calpur-
mia was offered up; the Cimbri were
overcome by this wonderful soldier, and
one hundred and forty thousand of their
number slaughtered, and sixty thousand
taken prisoners. Marius did nothing by
halves. Sensation followed every move
ment. Such q sacrifice now, by the
mightiest man, for the grandest purpose,
would shock the world with horror.
King Cambyses, son Of Cyrus the great,
deserves passing notice. He had way
of disposing of unjust judges which, if
generally adopted by the moderns, would
have a strong effect in purifying the
Bench in our larger cities. This Persian
monarch was so incensed at the partial
decision ofa certain judge in his kingdom
that he fayed him alive, and nailed his
skin to the judgment seat, as memento
for future occupants of the position. The
king appointed his own son to succeed
the fayed magistrate, and pointing to
the memento with warning finger, said :
" Remember where you sit" 1t is pre-
sumed that the lesson and warming were
not forgotten.
Hippomenes, the Roman Archon, was
none the less a sensatiOnalist, in his man.
ner of Furnishing his daughter for some
wrong against him. He exposed her to
be devoured by horses. A punishment
which may be regarded by even hostlers
and jockeys assomewhat unique. Though
call flesh is grass" in the eyes of the
poet, yet it is well known that horses
iuOucIn Oncs, ~ Ill cNeHJS-uO uOJ TeCOS-
nize the statement, practically or poetic
ally. And no modern father would ever
think of Furnishing his daughter, for
any possible offense, by exposing her to
be devoured by horses, or trampled by
them. The ancients were ahead of us in
such matters.
Zalmoxis, slave and disciple of Pyth-
agoras, INDUCED somewhat broadly in
the sensational, in order to gain reputa-
ton as an orator in Gete, where he was
born. The classic biographer tells us
that he concealed himself in subterra-
neous cave, and afterward made his
countrymen believe that he was Just
raised from the dead. This willy plan
succeeded. The Get@ans focked TO hear
him by thousands. The eloquence of a
man who has slept three years in the
grave must certainly command the en-
thusiasm of the populace.
Zopyrus, the ancient Persian, too, had
lofty sensational conceptions. He knew
how to win favor from his enemies.
When Darius besicged Babylon, Zopyrus