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
