Roman Lthkhvy and Ei-oqijexck.
09
whorcarcthclimitsand government for the
eminent man?
Let us, whether wo rise to eminence or
not, study the inwtird and not the out
ward man. Lotus look for truth in low
ns well as Iiigh places. For some of the
grandest ideas have originated in the
humble spheres of life. The pomp of
ofilco which dazzles our eye is often infer
ior to that moral excellence which s prac
ticed in circles the most unnoticed. Pub
lie men may hold and dazzle multitudes;
but unless their thoughts and actions arc
honest and noble, their course will belike
the Hash of a meteor. Grand anu enno
bling ideas may seem to buried in oblivi
on, but " truth crushed to earth will rise
C. R. D.
again "
JIO.VA2? L1BETITY AND ELOQUENCE.
It is well known to what a degree of
depth of richness and of splendor the lit
erature of Romo arose: How her arts ri
valed even those of ancient Greece: What
masterpieces of genius were crcaetd bj'
her works, that will live from age to age
till time is no more: How rich in poetry
was classical antiquity!
Her literature greatly excelled that of
modern times in passion, in simplicity,
and, at the same time, in depth. But it
was not alone in letters and the arts that
she rose to occupy the highest niche in
the temple of fame.
The Romans proved themselves oqunl,
and even superior, to any who have lived
after them in oratory, in that eloquence
which rouses the inner man to action,
that power which he is incapable of re
sistinsr. Forensic eloquence pccms to
have been more highly prized and:owaid
cd among thorn than an' other kind. Rut
at the same time, we observe the greatest
degree of liberty existing among the peo
ple. They were wont to meet to.gethcr
in popular assemblies, and discuss all that
pertained to matters of state with the
greatest of freedom. But how long did
their eloquence continue? Just as soon
as they came to allow themselves
to ho ruled by tyrants it ceased.
Eloquence and liborty flourished to
gcther, nor can there be eloquence
where there is not freedom of de
bate. Those who could not defend them
selves, were compelled to get those who
were well trained in public speaking.
There lies in the inner man a desire to de
fend himself, not to trust to another what
can equally well be done by himself,
and as long as they had the opportunity
of developing their powers of speech they
were anxious to do it. It was in these
political assemblies 'where the greatest
fire and passion were exercised. Oratory
,was nursed and fed by political agitation,
by the strong opposition that always ac
companies assemblies of this nature. It
rose to it'slofticstlughts in Athens, where
the present form of Democratic institu.
tions prevailed. So in Rome, during Ihe
greatest freedom, while the Republic still
existed, celebrated orators arose And it
has been well said that "the forum was to
the Roman what our libraries arc to us."
A.inong the most celebrated Roman ora
tors Ilortentius begins prominently, but,
from all we arc able to learn of him, his
great speeches were too ilorid to be read,
and were more appreciated at the time of
their delivery than afterwards. Caesar as
distinguished for eloquence, probably ex
celled in force and purity. Brutus, for
philosophical wisdom. But of all the
Roman orators whose names have come
down to posterity with honor nnd glorj',
Cicero was undoubtedly the greatest, lie
stands head and shoulders above all the
rest. They yielded to him as the Greeks
did to Dcmosthcnesc, and the names of
these two greatest orators are linked to
gether whenever allusion is made to elo
quence. Demosthenes was undonbtedly
superior in riro, in eloquence and original
genius. But Cicero in learning and cul
ture and breadth. It is useless for mo
to describe his brilliant career as a states
man, his great services to the state, and
c3i