Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-06-24
AN HISTORICAL STUDY.

coalition between two separate
parties OF malcontents-the remnant
OF the old conservatives, who found
1t practically impossible, despite all
their efforts, to adapt themselves to
state OF personal subserviency and
civic inaction. and the ambitious Cen
erals who had accompanied Caesar on
his campaigns, and were not satisfied
with their share OF the spoil Our old
acquaintance, Caius Cassius, whom we
first encountered fighting gallantly in
Ctlicia, but of whom we learned, SO to
speak. In infancy that the fault of in
feriority sis not in our stars, but in
ourselves" may be regarded as the
type of the second class of conspira-
tors, as Marcus Brutus was the great
exemplar of the first Early in the
year 7O9, before the death of Tullia,
there had been a particularly lively
interchange Of letters between Cassius
and Cicero, who, it appears, had known
each other from boyhood. For the
most part, I think the deeper we dip
into authentic Roman history and the
contemporary writer's of Cesar's time,
the more striking do we find the main
veracity of that great Shakesperean
drama from which most of US derived
our first clear impressions of the year
Oh s. q. The author of the tragedy of
Julius Caesar not only knew all that
was to be known in his time about the
men OF that great year, but he came
much nearer than some scholars will
admit to knowing all that is now to be
known. Not even the stupendous labors
OF Mommsen have awaited materially to
modify tho outlines of his Brutus, his
Antony. nor yet his Caesar. But the
real Cassius. if not positively misrep-
resented, appears to have been more.
and in some respects other, than the
instigator OF Brutus in the play. For
one thing. hs was decidedly literary
and more speculative in his turn, and
had lately suffered a conversion from
Stoicism TO Epicureanism, whereon
Cicero comments in the letters aforo~
said with abundance of pleasant BAN
ter. He employs pompous profusion
of philosophical terms. both Latin
and Creek, appending, in parentheses,
ms your new friends say" you
arc. of course, aware that Catius In
subor. the Epicurean, bestowed the
name Of spectra on those" (invisiblo
images) (which Gargettius and
Dcmocritus before him had called
etdota. Now, even supposing a
man to be able to conjure
up these specters before his
eyes when he plcases, fail to see how
they can Gun touch the mind. You
will have to enlighten me when you
come. as to whether your specter Is SO
far subject to my control as to come
rushing ut me the moment I think of
you (Which would not be 80 remark
able. indeed, in your case. who are
ensconccd in my heart of hearts); but
will the eidolon, say. Of the island of
Britain fly to my arms when l begin
thinking Of thatP"
"It Is hardly possible" Cicero says,
in another letter, "to be in earnest
about any thing without running some
rick. 'Thon let us have q good laugh
mothinks 1 hear you say. By Heaven,
it is not SO easyl Still, what other
distraction have we from our present
annoyancesp Where, then, is phi
losophyP Well, mine is. in the gym
nasium, and yours is in the kitchen!'
Harriet Waters Preston. in Atlantic.
Origin Of the Blood Orange.
The blood orange Is q more variety
OF the sweet orange obtained by
cultivation. and appears first to have
boon raised by the Spanish gardeners
in the Philippine Islands, from the
capital Of which (Manila) 1t, together
with the well-known cigars. formed
at one time one OF the chief articles
OF export. On It's first appearance in
Europe 1t excited a considerable
sensation; and, in tho last century,
very high prices were demanded for
the trees which bore the wonderful
fruit None, however, nov come to
us from Manila, our supply being de-
rived almost entirely from Malta,
whore great pains and attention are
bestowed upon their cultivation. It
was for long tire supposed. and, In