The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-04
VENGEANCE AND FORGIVENESS.

VENGEANCE AND FORGIVENESS.
son. Jupiter grant ms 10 avenge the fate
~ nv father. and be thou willing ally TO
mer, These burning Words poured out from
the stricken hrenat OF tho outraged Electra,
only exompllfy that strong craving after sat
tsfied vengeance common TO the human heart
suffering deep wrong. We'll has the ancient
pareut Of tragedy illustrated that dire passion
which can only be luenehed n blood and
death. Tho Choephori VI Eschuylus Is one
grand outponring of this master Impulse.
which oil Religions, save that Of Christ. esteem
noble Far back IN remote antiquity WE read
of those who demanded an eye for an eye and
"A tooth for u tooth
posterIor to these primeyal days arises the
poetical and imaginative religion OF Greece.
not only with Homer, III grand expounder,
tperhape originator. but with It's noble host
or learned and eloquent men too numerous to
name. First OF these arc the tragedlans
men whose entire lives were devoted To study,
and whose original powers Of mind enabled
Thorn TO make that study glorlously eilica-
cous I'm stamping tho human passions with
fiery record. and who speak 70 us now, after
The lapse of many centuries, In accents DO
thrilling that every human heart responds.
m later times amidst the highlands OF Scot
land and the wilds of North American forests.
we find the same gloomy creed swhying the
education OF mountain elRnEmsn In green
Albyn and painted warriors from Lake Erie
to the Gulf of Mexico.
a,schylua, in hls divine tragedies, only
paints with u masters hand the strong pas
sion existing then az now which feeber lays
have often set forth, down to the time Of Sir
Walter Scott who with that delightful aim
picity peculiarly his own. calls 1t 'rightlng
our ain wrongs" Byron In grand burst oil
generosity (which sometimes shot across
his mournful and cynical paHesl declares that
hs curse should be forgiveness. Heaven
knows, erring M he was, he had enough TO
forgive then-and now
But this vengeance, dear to the heart OF suf-
Eering humanity. and direful In Ito results, Is
beautifully rebuted By our divine religion
vengeance is mine. and will repay, saith
the Lord"
We can never enough admire the genius Of
Greek tragedy. which comes down to us like
a fountain whose source was on high Olym-
pus, rich with nectareous flavor. and yet the
pure virtue OF Christianity does not mingle
with its enhancing waters. However much
mentally we may be strengthened and cult.
waited by hraughts Of its charmed waters,
yet the heart remains unsoftened and the will
unsuhdued. Intellectual not moral culture
Is the result Of studies Mt once recondte and
richly attractive. To should be the aim oil
those who instruct youth to point out that
peculiar feature of our more sublime eivllza.
tion which substitutes Cemoney for revenge
blessings for curses and good Tor evil. Tis u
hard lesson. and we well believe, when fairly
learned, opens the gates OF paradise to man
Heher. with that elegant and graphic diotot
caught from the aneents, aud distinguishing
his faultless English In all he ever wrote
speaks thus
MY foemen. Lord IRE fierce and fell! Their
snurn me In their pride,
They render evil for my good my patience
they detida
Ariee oh King and be the proud to righteous
ruin drtveuN
Forgive" lawful answer came, ''or never
be furgiveni"
'Seven times, oh Lord pardoned them: sever
times they stnned again;
They practice still to work me wo: thoy triumph
In my PAIN
But le, them dread NV vengeance now. to JUS
resentment driyenl"
Forgive the voice OF thunder spoke. 20
never be forgivent'