The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-01-15
lous of the Mosaic law"

o>'0
have made a wonderful advancement in
civilization since those early ages of the
world when people generally lived in tents;
but / am very doubtful about it. In the
vision described in Dan. 2, 3I-44, the en-
pire of Babylon is stated to be Of gold. The
power that was to succeed it, was to be of
slrer. The third great earthly power was
represented to be of brass; the fourth of
IRON, and the fifth of iron maired cih miry
c9oy.' Does not this prophetic vision in
dictate a continued retrogression ? Stats
tics gathered from the military regulations
of the Greek armies show a degree of ply
steal strength and endurance which are now
unknown in the world. They could march
farther in a day, bear heavier arms, 90
through athletic exercises such as no human
being now living could endure. As for
mental strength and requirements, we have
had no metaphysician and logician superior
to AristOtle-no poet equal to Homer-no
orator equal to Demosthenes-no historian
who has ever even approached Thucidides.
Lord Macaulay. the greatest historian of
modern times, acknowledged frequently,
with grief, his vast inferiority to Thuci-
dides. Even at an early period of what we
call modern history, men could accomplish
things which now they are incapable of.
Carlyle, in looking at some of the match
lessly beautiful cathedrals Of England, built
in the 18th and 18th centuries, said,
"Greater men have lived in England than
of her writer's" That is, the men who de-
signed and executed those grand temples
were greater than Shakespeare or Milton.
What is civilization Is it splendor of
houses and clothing? Then we have retro
graded immensely. An English writer
describing the civilization of Italy in the
18th century, says: 'On all sides splendid
monuments arose., private palaces, churches,
converts, public buildings, %unequalled for
the beauty of their architecture, and the
richness of their decorations. There is
scarcely an Italian town, however small,
which cannot boast of some such edifice.
This fact would indicate a state of tran.
guilty and general well-doipg. little con-
sistent with the prevailing idea that italy
was at that time torn to pieces by the strug-
giles of political factions. Her true history
of that period has yet to be written. 1t is
hard to believe that during that, and the
Immediately succeeding centuries, in which
Italy attained an almost unexampled splen-
dor in culture, in literature, in science aud
IN the arts, her people were engaged in
butchering each other, and that the country
was overrun by ''Condoteri7' and plunderers
who carried ruin and desolation wherever
they went. Yet such is the popular notion
of the state of Italy during that period, in
spite of the evidence which every city AMI
town offers to the contrary"
In the age of feudalism, there was a de-
gree of grand and picturesque civilization
which l think may have been better, on the
whole, than our present manufacturing,
money getting, and fashion-worshipping
age. Again quote "The period between
William the Conqueror and Edward l. was
that in which feudalism foulished in it's
fullest vigor. The great barons attained
their highest power ;-heraldry arose, with
ITS beautiful symbolism, to adorn war, to
distinguish families, to fix gentility. Castles
crowned the sloping heights of every Eng
county; and in many a quiet VALLEY.
rich in wood ard water, abbeys grew up
and spread out broad and stately windows
to the rays of the MONDAY sun" Swarms
OF warriors poured to the Crusades land in
this age, tent dwellings attained the mag
which they probably !lad in the
earlier periods of human history. The
splendid equipments Of the Crusader mon
arch and his retinue made Their encamp-
ments like scenes in fairyland.' But simpler
forms of tent life are picturesque and de-
Ilghtful, even without the banners blazoned
with heraldic symbols the luxurious Per-
'lan carpets, the magnificent camp furni-
llure, ana the galiy clad knights who moved
IN and out, and kept stately ceremonies in
those stirring times. Tent life, if one is
prepared for it, is always charming. Last
l and some friends made a tent
of over five hundred miles. l wish
could give a correct idea Of its many COM
.orts and destinations. The greensward
under foot; the soft sweet light
comes through the tent walls and
'oof with the shadows of the foliage CULVER
ng in sunlight or moonlight over the COM
'ortable camp bedstead; the pretty camp
chairs covered with tapestry and bouquets
woven in the seats and backs At nioht
.fter our lamp was extinguished, l used to
ie still and listen to the various night
sounds in the woods around, and look at
he embroidery of leaves and branches
which the moonlight delineated on the can
,ass overhead. 1t was pleasant too to hear
he horses contentedly crunching their corn
It q little distance off. After l reached
l used to make comparisons. As