New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-22
ANCIENTS AND MODERNS.
SOME INTERESTING COMPARISONS.


milan & Co.
r,.re are several interesting features about
chic volume One is the series OF parallels which
1,o,,, draws-or points out as possible 10 DC
6r,vn--between ancient and modern men, o'
ancient and modern affairs. Among creek MS
,or,ans he ia exceptional for the care with "h'o"
a.. dist,n cuisines theories from facts his ha'i"
five ia rather dry for that reason. ana ne oe
slows a wondering admiration on the WORN Va
another German writer, Duncker, VINO mas ue
voted a resourceful imagination TO the 'A'~ "
restoring Greek history to that expressive amp
tude which IT would have had II MODERN ine'"o.'
had nrevailed in the time OF Thucyd'des' NOM
r,.n,rot,on docs not lead him to expand MS
comparisons between ancient ana i'oue'" '
few words suffice for his purpose Vi camp"
Cello the tyrant OF Syracuse, VINO yea. 0.' ~
Carthaginians from the western Dounua
Greek civilization, did remarkably oo'" 'o
-, o,o occasion According to the nature OF Il
49,, ha had surrounded himself with guaros'
A. hs valued his own life. knowing the Hrespo'
.,,,o y,olence of a Greek mob ne was wise J."
leaning a body OF soldiers about MIN. Ru' 'He''
came n moment when he saw that just 'he 'pp'
si.e treatment OF the multitude wouio s"e ''''
success 50 he presented himself unar'"eu oe
fore a crowd OF the citizens, all Oh ""o'' wy
armed They had been clamoring ior "'' nv
I,,, this act on his part caused them to hesitate
He began 10 speak and his ADDRESS t"rhe" Ct"
.nies into friends. Holm compares this act OF
Co,o.s 20 that OF Leopold OF Belgium In 1898
Roth monarchs at critical moment saved thenh-
.,,y.s nv "a prudent recognition OF the soVer-
,o,+v n, the people" Cello rendered sats-
<actorv account OF his actions. and was haiieo
,,, tina cry that he was not tyrant Out
king ,..o
Among ALL the statesmen Of Greece. Themisto-
cleo was one who Nigh, have adapted himseH
easily 70 the conditions OF modern life. he was d
new man In a sense which the arlstocra.'c
Greeks disliked. His successes were que " .n'
-asnect which men were obliged TO pay 10 ms
tel nouer 10 his indomitable WILL when
never Welded till his work for Helias ana |A'hen'
was done, and to the obvious merit OF the p'a"'
which he devised In war and the measures ""''"
no nroposed In time of peace. IL ne cou'o nave
had his own way to the uttermost the ioi's wal
between Athens and Sparta would never nave !"
cured because he would nave 30 "e""'.N
Sparta as to leave Athens without ri'ai ioi '.'e
hsaash,p Of the Hellenic cities. Themistocles' oy
his policy. was allied to the party OF progress al
Athens corresponding. as the historian suggests
=. a.. vh,g marty in England In the early years
., no,,,,cal evolution at Athens there had been al
,ues But the democracy had begun to sho" i.s
.,r.rgtb when Pisistratus leaned upon IT In MS
.,-rog,e for supremacy. At the time OF lhemis-
+oc,es,s entrance on a public career there were
o,,v two parties. that Of Cimon. genial aris'o-
crat who was willing to give the people every
,h,no excent power. and that Of the Alcmoeohios'
which comprised various shades OF hDerahs''
rher,istocles wanted his own way he was !"
man without family or traditions Feehhe ,ha'
his purposes were right. he was unscrupu'ous
about means. and the party OF progress 'ho"e"
Obliged to support him. tacitiy asreeo u ''io"
him overheard as soon as his arrogance gave III
opportunity 1t was irksome to be leo py man
who had no hereditary claim on the ieaoe'ship'
THE nrominence Of certain families In the Amen
tan parties Is compared by the author 10 the co"-
d,tion OF things in England. where certain lam
,,ss have in the past controlled the parties This
was especially the case he remarks WIN 'ne
1yh,e marty. in which the families Of Temple
pelham. Russell CBedford) and Cavend'sh uDeV-
ors,,ra, took the lead and the last does so still
In England also. too Independent noVus ho''o
met with least favor from the Wings; one need
onIv recall the early close Of Brougham's minis
,erIa, career In England. as in Athens. the LID
oral marty like 10 be led by men OF high rank. IL
,,as tust because Thernstocles could not be kept
On a subordinate place that ne had to be driven
from his country
Again the supremacy Of Pericles. largely due
IN his power as an orator, Is compared 10 'ha'
Of Mr. Gladstone. Holm is vigorous de1ehoer
81 the reputation of Pericles as man ana
statesman The charge Of corruption In the use
Of fund which was plainly intended Tor what
IN modern times would be called secret service
he discredits by showing that 1t was necessary
for those in charge Of affairs at Athens 10 know
what was going on everywhere In the Dorders
Of the Mediterranean from the BLACK sea 10 the
Raw Of Naples; and news could not be got then
any more than 1t can be had now. without money
But the most importan. part OF Hoims study
Of Perlcles Is his attempt TO show that the Athen-
ian statesman had much broader purposes IMAM
he gave utterance to In public Pericies was a
lberal-minded man. devoid OF anything Ike su-
nerstition. This was shown in his partially for
the Ionian philosophy and Its professors To him
a startling natural phenomenon was not an
omen. but q fact. II was plain to him that all
his efforts TO make the Athenian citizen free
man In the highest sense Of the word would be
vain as long as the people we're intolerant tow
ard new ideas.
But Athens could not throw OF It's traditions.
All that Pericles really gained was to restrict
this intolerance to Attica. In the extensive En-
p.re which Pericles built up and which barely
outlived him. there was room for all that free
dem Of thought which he priced. If man could
not teach what he believed In Athens-and the
fate Of Socrates Is standing proof that the
limit there was easily reached and fatal to pass
he could easily find another city In the league
where he could think his own thoughts in peace
Pericles would have dispelled this atmosphere Of
religious prejudice II he could have done 30. But
his efforts were useless. He gave Athenans all
the liberty they were capable Of enjoying. all the
power they were capable Of WELDING. and the
very attempt to give them more was resented
by them a mortal offence For the criticism OF
Plato on Pericles, which has sometimes been used
as means Of censuring modern politicians
Holm expresses only contempt.