Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-30
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BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.

BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.
Examples of Human Virtue That Have
i Made the World Better.
|. Under this heading from time to
time will be published a series OF au-
thenticated extracts dealing with MS
torical examples Of the good and pad
in human nature, mostly good; but all
furnishing an admirable chart OF con-
duct to be emulated or avoided:
HAPPINESS NOT FOUNDED ON
WEALTH OR THE vIcIssI-
tubes OF HUMAN LIFE
Sentiments.
You see here a notable instance OF
the uncertainty Of human grandeur,
and the mutability Of fortune; let 1t
make a proper impression on you ALL
but especially on such Of you as are
in the vigor Of your age. Let not
present prosperity 30 far pun up any
man as to make him behave with ar
rogance towards another; neither let
any man confide In his good fortune,
for he cannot tell how soon 1t may
forsake him.
It is the lot Of mankind to be hap
nv and miserable by turns. Divine
wisdom will have 1t so, and 1t Is ex-
+ceedingly for our advantage 1t should
be so. BY the meditation, Of this mix
ture. we have the comfort Of hope
to support US in our distresses, and
the apprehensions Of a change to
keep check upon us, in the very
height of our greatness and glory; so
that by this vicissitude Of good and
evil, we are kept steady In our phi
losophy, and in our religion. The one
puts us in mind Of Gods omnipotence
and Justice, the other Of his goodness
and mercy; the one tells us that there
is no trusting in our strength, the
other breaches faith and resignation
In the prospect Of an over-ruling
Providence who takes care Of us.
Examples.
Croesus was king OF Lydia. His
very name, which Is become a pro-
verb, carries in 1t en- idea Of immense
riches. The wealth Of this prince, to
Judge Of it only by the presents ne
made to the temple of Delphos, mus.
nave been excessively great. Most OF
those presents were to be seen In the
time of Herodotus, and were worth
several millions. We may partly ac-
count for the treasures Of this prince
from certain mines that he had, Sit
uated, according t. Strabo, between
Pergamos and Atarnes; as also from
the little river Pactolus, the sand OF
which was gold. This uncommon
affiuence, which is a thing extraordi-
nary, did not enervate or soften the
courage Of Croesus. He thought II
unworthy Of a prince to spend MS
ime in idleness and pleasures. He
rodotus observes, that he was the
nrst conqueror Of the Greeks who till
then had never been subject TO a
foreign power. But what Is still
more extraordinary in this prince
though he was immensely rich, and so
great a warrior, yet his chief delight
was in literature and the sciences.
His court was the ordinary residence
of those famous and learned men, so
revered by antiquity, and distinguish
ed by the name Of the Seven Wise
Men Of Greece. solon. one Of the
most celebrated amongst them, after
having established new laws at Ath-
ems, went to Sardis where he was re-
ceived in a manner suitable to the re-
putation of so great a man. The King
attended with a numerous court, ap-
peared in all his regal pomp and
splendor, dressed in the most magni-
hcent apparel. which was all over en-
riched with gold, and glittered with
diamonds. Notwithstanding the novel
ty Of this spectacle to Solon, 1t did not
appear that he was the least moved
by it, or that he uttered word which
discovered the least surprise or ad-
miration; on the contrary, people OF
sense might sufficiently discern from
his behavior that he looked upon this
outward pomp as an indication or q
little mind, which knows not IN what
true greatness consists. This cold
ness and indifference in Solon's first
approach, gave the king no favorable
opinion Of his new guest. He after
wards ordered that all his treasures,
his magnificent apartments and cost
ly furniture should be shown him; as
If he expected, by the multitude OF
his fine vessels, diamonds, studs and
paintings to conquer the philosopher
indifference. But it was the king
that Solon was come to visit, and not
the walls or chambers Of his palace.
He had no notion Of making an es-
innate Of his worth by these outward
appendages, but by himself and per-
sonal qualities.
When Solon had seen all, he was
brought back to the king; Croesus
then asked him, which Of mankind,
in all his travels, he had found the
most truly happy. "One Tellus." re-
piled Solon, "a citizen Of Athens, q
very honest and good man, who lived
all the days without indigence. had
always seen his country in flourish
ing condition, had children that were
universally esteemed. with the satis-
faction of seeing those children's chill
dren, and at last died gloriously
fighting for his country"
Such an answer as this, In which
gold and silver were accounted as
nothing, seemed TO Croesus to argue
strange ignorance and stupidity
However, as he fattered himself with
being ranked in the second degree OF
happiness, he asked him who Of all
those he had seen was the next In fe-
licity to Tellus? Solon answered
"Cleobis and Biton Of Argos, two