, 1879-01-26
OLD ROMAN SOCIETY.

| OF tho Corruption TINT Caused the Down
| fall of the Roman Empire.
Nteo IcrE Tribune.
| DR.. Lords lecture on "Society in the Old Ro-
man World ~ was delivered yesterday morning
| at Chicker1ng Hail. DR.. Lord held rather e1
trcme views, and was frequently app1auded. He
| ascribed the downfall Of the Roman Empire to
official and social corruptions, to the outgrowth
! of Maserialism and Epicurcapism as the aui-
mating principles of Roman society, and held
| his picture up as a type Of what modern
| society may become IL certain tendencies are
| not checked.
| It pleased, said the speaker, God Almighty
who, it is conceded by some, rules the world
| to sweep away the old Roman Empire and to
| give it to new and barbaric races; because, as
think, moral evils obscured the brightness Of its
civilization and poisoned society in Its very
| heart. He did the same thing to Assyrian and
Persian empires. Egyptians, Babylonlans, and
Greeks we know possessed great culture and
| power, yet their civilization did not save them
from ingIorfous CONQUEST br ruder races. It is
probable that no civilization among ancient
races ever equaled that Of the Greeks, and no
material ifes vas ever So splendid rs That Of the
e1ultcd in the cultivated face Of nature,
in gardens, villas. olive groves, vine
yards, and corndelds. Grand palaces
filled with pictures aud statues aud vessels of
silver and gold showed how favored were the
rich, how diversified WAS art, how proud its
triuinphs The theatres and a1pphitheatres and
circus, altogether capable OF accommodating
4OO,O 900 spectators, revealed the sports ana
in comparison with which all scenic perform t
ances are tame. Art showed its higbest charm
in splendid temples that kept up the show Of !
religion, and within them were the gigantic |
efo nf fha YrHE in man
and with all the material forms Of uubounded |
wealth and artistic culture aud imperial power, |
we cannct but feel that civilization never gilt
tered with prouder glories Behold world Of |
Of pride. Why should not such glories be |
eternal?
This splendid external was deceptive. Be- !
meath th' sculptured monuments Of Imperial
Rome we're the denS OF cancerous vice, evils
which are sure to sap, sooner or later, ali sys-
tens, all institutions, the States, all empires,
unless counteracted By all power Of God I'm
perial despotism was doubtless called for to
crush the greater evils Of Communism and an-
archy, and wish that Joseph Cook would write
about Communism in ancient Rome. do not |
condemn imperial rule chen it becomes neces-
sary; and Cesar, who founded il; looms up on
the scroll OF Providence as one OF His appointed
agents. But at last Roman despottsm crushed
all noble aspiration, and cxtinguished the latent
fires of freedom. No great orators arose, no
true poets werc born, no philosophers uttered
cold and sullen gloom overspread the empire.
The world never knew more able and patriotic
rulers than were in the declining days Of Roman
greatness, but most Of them were either jealous
tyrants or degraded sensualists. Some were |
monsters like Nero. The military power was
and when you destroy military
power you also destroy imperialism on which
it rests One OF the undermining vices was the
excessive luxury and indolence OF the upper
classes, produced by wealth and an Epicurcan
philosophy. ending in degrading materialisnn+
fortunes are incident to all |
civilizations and all ages: They are great evil, |
lustrir, and energy. You cannot destroy human
INEQUALITIES. II you destroy them in one year
they will reappear in the next. Communism
may cut off the head Of the hydra, but inme~
tionate fortunes, made BY unequal laws or
require change OF Laws; but |
il laws are equal, and il monopolies are |
cut off, then there is NO remedy. But
at Rome the great fortunes were made br for
tunatc Generals and Provincial Governors. So, |
great fortunes rested on injustice
and privilege, and what monopolics are with us
These fortunes we're enormous. 1t took about |
S5D,OO year to support the dignity of Sen /
ator. ANY Roman General could make gigan-
tic fortune in one year. Offices and wealth we're !
ln the hands OF the ancient aud powerful fami- !
lies. A Vanderbilt or Stewart springing from
bity at Rome.
Their enormous fortunes. instead Of being
spent judiciously, were lavlshed on chariot
races, sladiatoriai shows, and degrading sensu-
TaIue to rank than to the means Of purchasing | (
pleasure. Usury was practiccd to an Incredible
extent. Rich old bachelors were held iu su- |
oremc reverepce: Money BECAME the ultimate ,
.he bride Was wealthy neither bridegroom nor
,oo3e parent was fastidious as to age, dcfor1ui-
lies, meanness OF family, or yulgaFity OF person.
The needy descendants OF the OLD patrician fam
J$Rc fsf1I- I-aF3f flfaF1c A3%F ~
Iud encrvated ladies OF rank sold themselves {
ritlout shame to those bloated and eouty +
ensualists Who could give them palaces ana | /
diamonds.
PRESENTS except to the rich. Charity was uu-
;noWn. Even hospitals did not exist for the | O
,oor. The Wretched were left to die unnoticed. | 8
he rich killed themselves when their mouey 4
ook Wings; those who we're really poor led a b
opulatton Of the whole Empire consisted Of S
laTes--somc fifty or sixty nillious-yhite aud t
"a LACK; Sometimes theF were PHYSICIANS and u
cnoolmasters, una we're more Intelligent than il
heir masters. War broke up Roman slavery. y
Low long would it have taken to emancinaie =
ne Southern slaves by their masters had not il
ar cut the knots n
The same influences that robbed man Of his s.
ghts degraded woman. The poets represented tt
er Us inferior to man aud even more vicious in tt
aturat inclination Women were not well cd e
catea, theJ we're amused By frivoItes, they | D
'lleo 1or the pleasure or convenience Of men, d
aet we're comparatively secluded. they could
easily divorced Woman had no dignity; hcr
lpplness was in costly dresses, retinue Of
a7es: exciting banquets, and gorgeous trink- n,
~ -: one was sought in marriage for what she | u
az, ana not Tor what she was. Feminine yir- m
IL was reVerenced in the abstract; as when the in
t1uc OF women was held at the lowest point in 81
thens the farthenon arose, the most beautiful | m
n1p!e OF antiquity, dedicated to female wisdom al
~ 'l!tne. Ihe degradation Of women under | IL
asanlsm #as owing to circumstances more b.
lan natural weakness II
Inc darkest picture to NE Of Roman life was a
e E aosorbng devotion to demorallzing sports. tt
ae oorF1d outcheries of the amphitheatrc dead m
led the moral sense. At no period can We call b.
e Romans refined and Intellectual people, so b.
: as sentiment Is concerned They we're In tt