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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1877)
jSjt f KMXJ&i Tint Lipk ato CtiAiuir. m m? Tactics 513 r r A & k r ft 1- . i- ' miis his love of liberty ami country, tlint Jilthoitgh be curbed bis pen, liis word M'ore.hed wherever tbi'y touched. Pur this reason Mr. Morivalo bus thought ibat 3ie deserved the name of sntiri.!."1 His love of the good old days of the Uepublic prompted bun in probe to its v ry depths Hie rottenness of the times. And with bis sharp scalpel be removed the bend of lb u mighty ulcer that had grown close to the great artery of tin- government, and laid bare the euro Uial was too huge I'm wen a Trajan to remove. He was eminently a man of great force sind decision of character, of keen judg- incut and penetration. His piercing eye looked through Ibe deeds of men, as il they were windows, down to the very leplhs of their hearts. This power is of peculiar value, to thu historian, and Tac itus used it, together with bis philosoph i"id powers, so well that bo has lieen jucused by Merivale of bolstering up a sickly theory of the deeline of the Honiaii empire. This is a sorry excuse for the great preeminence of a predecessor. Pet imps Mr. Merivale has a theory which be would doubtless like to see equally well supported. Tlii-. author lm- been well impressed uit'o the vid c of T'icitUs, j, et be was so neglecllu! of bis own icpuialiou is to aj, And we shall trace in another gi'iiiiUtion thu action of a Dion, a Piii tarch and Apoilonius, and lament that wo cannot add to (lie list of lioiuan lef umurs the illustrious name of Tacitus." Lot us see upon what ground be could venture Midi a statement. In Ibe Hist place, who. ever lias read Tacitus will readily ayrce that there is not a scnlcrcc in which he favors error. Let us see now if tno gentle man's own words will not condemn him He says, "The- praUes of bis hero, (Tac itus'.) are t w o edged, and every stroke dealt in bis honor ivcoils with a backhanded blow on the necks of bis cotonipciraric.." Hut why upon hiscntcmporaries? 15ecau.-e they were laden with darkest crime . In another plute be sas, " 1 cannot imagine that any render ol the Annals was ever morally better for thoir perusal. Many,, perhaps, have been made worse continued, it may be, in a cynical contempt for man kind, or in gloomy despair of virtue.'' I5ut wo arc sure that, no man ever became worse for becoming disgusted with wick edness. Then if be taught purity by con dciiining evil, if be condemned evil by leveling blows at the necks of tyrants, we pray sir, why was he not a reformer? lie was a close observer, an acute, deep ihinkcr and a logical reasonor. These qualities enabled him to be a profound judge of human nature. lie was truly siicu in me ueiiaeauou oi cuaracier n; was without a rival. An eminent writer in the Xortk American llciiow says, " Hut it is not for his style that we principally admire this author; his profound views of thu human heart, his just development of the principles of action, his delicate (ouches of nature, his love of liberty and independence, and above all the moral responsibility, which mingles and incorp orates itself with all bis descriptions are qualities which must ever lender him a favorite with the friends of philosophy and of man.'" In bis study of human uatuie be bad ample- material in the lives of those ot who'll be wrote. " Through the smallest avenues he penetrated down to the darkest vaul s,aml displayed the secret ami evil cause ol action when often a very dilleient oiw appeared on the surface. Ate! i a power implies a suspicions tem perament, ami also cherishes il.'' Kill Tacitus was suspicious and on the alert for evil only. 'I his he burned with a per. sisleut llmne. liis practical morality wits the Stoical. Tlii- accounts for hi- reserve; and bis uniform reserve, combined with bis per. sonal activity and general vigor and force, easily explains his concentrated, terse and vigorous style. Though thus reserved and cold without, yet within be was all warmth and full of Ireedom for those a bom he cherished. There was a crusted surface ft.r comets and goers, but beneath tins there tlowed a stream from the verv fouu B
