Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-12
Misesllaneous Rsading
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.
Examples of Human Virtue That Have
Made the World Better.

BEACON LiGf . OF no ohr'
Examples of Human Virtue That Have
| Made the World Better.
| [Under this heading from time to
time will be published a series Of au-
thenticated extracts dealing with his
torical examples Of the good and bad
in human nature, mostly good; but all
furnishing an admirable chart Of con-
duct to be emulated or avoided:
FREEDOM WITH GREAT MEN
DANGEROUS. -.
| Sentiments.
Quid de quoque viro, ct cui dicas,
usque caveto?
| Have q care
OF whom you talk, and what, and
when, and where. .r.
It is observed in the course Of
worldly things that mems fortunes
are oftener made by their tongues
than by their virtues, and more mems
fortunes overthrown thereby than by
their vices.
Good counsel is cast away upon the
arrogant, the self-conceited or the
stupid, who are either too proud to
take it, or too heavy to understand
| It. tf HsYtrs 20
If you be consulted concerning a
person either passionate, inconstant
or vicious, give not your advice; 1t is
vain, for such will do only what shall
please themselves.
You are so far from obliging man
by relating to him the Ill things which
have been said Of him that you are
quickly paid for your indiscretion by
becoming the first object of his aver
sion and resentment. ~ O.
Examples.
Dionysius the Elder, king of Syra-
cuse, without the qualifications, had a
strong passion for the character Of a
great poet Having read one day
some Of his verses to Philoxenus, and
having pressed him to give his opin-
ion of them. he answered with entire
freedom and told him plainly his real
sentiments. Dionysius, who was not
accustomed to such language, was ex-
tremely offended, and ascribing his
boldness to envy, gave orders to carry
him to the mine, the common goal
being so called.-Rolin's Am. Hist.
Cambyses, king of Persia. having
obliged Praxaspes, one Of the princi-
pal officers, to declare to him what
his subjects said Of him, "They ad-
mire," said Praxaspes, "a great many
excellent qualities they see in your
majesty, but they are somewhat sur
prised at your immoderate love Of
wine." "I understand you," replied
the king, "that is, they pretend that
wine deprives me of my reason. You
shall be Judge Of that Immediately"
Upon which he began to drink exces-
sively, pouring 1t down in larger
quantities than ever he had done at
any time before. Then ordering
Praxaspes's son, who was his chief
cut bearer, to stand upright at the end
Of the room, with his left hand upon
his head, he took his bow and levelled
it at him, and declaring he aimed at
his heart, let fly, and actually shot
| him in the heart. He then ordered
his body to be opened, and showing
the father the heart of his son, which
the arrow had pierced, asked him in
an insulting, scoffing manner, If he
had not a steady hand.-Herod. lib.
| i'll. C. 36.
Alexander the Great had determined
to carry on war with India, the rich
est country In the world, not only In
gold but in pearls and precious stones,
with which the inhabitants adorned
themselves with more luxury, indeed,
than gracefulness. Alexander was
informed that the swords Of the SOL
diers were Of gold and ivory; and the
king, now the greatest monarch in the
world, being determined not to yield
to any person whatsoever, in any cir
cumstance, caused the swords Of the
soldiers to be set off with silver plates,
put golden brides on the horses, had
the coats OF mail heightened with
gold and silver, and prepared to march
Tor this enterprise at the head Of q
hundred and twenty thousand men, all
equipped with the magnihcence above
described.
| All things being ready for their set
ting out, he thought tins a proper OPP
portunity to reveal the design he had
so long meditated, viz: to have divine
nonors paid him. To soothe and
cherish this ridiculous pretension,
there were not wanting batteries,
those common pests Of courts. who are
more dangerous to princes than the
arms Of their enemies. With this
view he appointed a festival and made
an incredibly pompous banquet, to
which he invited the greatest lords of
his court, both Macedonians and
Greeks, and most OF the highest quail
ity among the Persians. With these
he sat down at table for some time,
after which he withdrew. Upon this,
Cleon, one Of the fiatterers, began to
speak and expatiated very much In
praise of the king, as had before been
agreed upon. He made a long detail
OF the high obligations they owed him,
rail- of which, he observed, they might
acknowledge in reply at a very easy
expense, merely with two grains of
incense, which they should offer him
as to god, without the least scruple,
since they believed him such. To
this purpose he cited the example of
the Persians and added that in case
the rest should not care to pay this
justice to Alexander merits, he him
self was resolved to show them the
way and to worship him in case he
should return into the hall; but that
all Of them must do their duty, es-
pecially those who professed wisdom
and ought to serve the rest as an eX-
ample Of the veneration due to Sc
great a monarch. 1t appeared plainly
that this speech was directed to Cal
listhenes. He was related to Aris-
totle, who had presented himself to
Alexander, his pupil, that he might
attend upon that monarch in the wal
Of Persia. He was considered, upon
account of his wisdom and gravity
as the fittest person to give him such
wholesome counsels as were most
likely to preserve him from those ex.
cessions into which his youth and
fiery temper might hurry him. This
philosopher, seeing that everyone on
this occasion continued in deep silence