66

and Franklin. It is certainly to be regretted that men should err so grossly in their estimate of character. But no person who knows anything of human nature will impute such errors to de

speech against Timarchus? I can make | The opposition of the great orator to allowances, as well as Mr. Mitford, for the policy of Philip he represents as persons who lived under a different neither more nor less than deliberate system of laws and morals; but let villainy. I hold almost the same opithem be made impartially. If Demos-nion with Mr.Mitford repecting the chathenes is to be attacked on account of racter and the views of that great and some childish improprieties, proved only accomplished prince. But am I, thereby the assertion of an antagonist, what fore, to pronounce Demosthenes proflishall we say of those maturer vices gate and insincere? Surely not. Do which that antagonist has himself we not perpetually see men of the acknowledged? Against the private greatest talents and the purest intencharacter of Æschines," says Mr. Mit- tions misled by national or factious ford, "Demosthenes seems not to have prejudices? The most respectable peohad an insinuation to oppose." Has ple in England were, little more than Mr. Mitford ever read the speech of forty years ago, in the habit of uttering Demosthenes on the Embassy? Or the bitterest abuse against Washington can he have forgotten, what was never forgotten by anyone else who ever read it, the story which Demosthenes relates with such terrible energy of language concerning the drunken brutality of his rival? True or false, here is something|pravity. more than an insinuation; and nothing can vindicate the historian, who has with himself than with reason. Though overlooked it, from the charge of negli- he is the advocate of all oligarchies, he gence or of partiality. But Eschines is also a warm admirer of all kings, and denied the story. And did not Demos- of all citizens who raised themselves to thenes also deny the story respecting that species of sovereignty which the his childish nickname, which Mr. Mit- Greeks denominated tyranny. If monford has nevertheless told without any archy, as Mr. Mitford holds, be in itself qualification? But the judges, or some a blessing, democracy must be a better part of them, showed, by their clamour, form of government than aristocracy, their disbelief of the relation of Demos- which is always opposed to the suprethenes. And did not the judges, who macy, and even to the eminence, of intried the cause between Demosthenes dividuals. On the other hand, it is but and his guardians, indicate, in a much one step that separates the demagogue clearer manner, their approbation of and the sovereign. the prosecution? But Demosthenes was a demagogue, and is to be slandered. Eschines was an aristocrat, and is to be panegyrised. Is this a history, or a party-pamphlet ?

Mr. Mitford is not more consistent

If this article had not extended itself to so great a length, I should offer a few observations on some other peculiarities of this writer, his general preference of the Barbarians to the Greeks,

ginians, Thracians, for all nations, in short, except that great and enlightened nation of which he is the historian. But I will confine myself to a single topic.

These passages, all selected from a-his predilection for Persians, Carthasingle page of Mr. Mitford's work, may give some notion to those readers, who have not the means of comparing his statements with the original authorities, of his extreme partiality and carelessness. Indeed, whenever this historian Mr. Mitford has remarked, with mentions Demosthenes, he violates all truth and spirit, that "any history the laws of candour and even of de- perfectly written, but especially a Grecency; he weighs no authorities; he cian history perfectly written, should makes no allowances; he forgets the be a political institute for all nations." best authenticated facts in the history It has not occurred to him that a Greof the times, and the most generally cian history, perfectly written, should recognised principles of human nature. also be a complete record of the rise

the arts.

and progress of poetry, philosophy, and rebellions-is a complete history. DifHere his work is extremely ferences of definition are logically deficient. Indeed, though it may seem unimportant; but practically they a strange thing to say of a gentleman sometimes produce the most momentous who has published so many quartos, effects. Thus it has been in the preMr. Mitford seems to entertain a feeling, sent case. Historians have, almost bordering on contempt, for literary and without exception, confined themselves speculative pursuits. The talents of to the public transactions of states, action almost exclusively attract his and have left to the negligent adminisnotice; and he talks with very compla-tration of writers of fiction a province cent disdain of "the idle learned." at least equally extensive and valuable. Homer, indeed, he admires; but principally, I am afraid, because he is convinced that Homer could neither read nor write. He could not avoid speaking of Socrates; but he has been far more solicitous to trace his death to political causes, and to deduce from it consequences unfavourable to Athens, and to popular governments, than to throw light on the character and doctrines of the wonderful man,

"From whose mouth issued forth

All wise statesmen have agreed to consider the prosperity or adversity of nations as made up of the happiness or misery of individuals, and to reject as chimerical all notions of a public interest of the community, distinct from the interest of the component parts. It is therefore strange that those whose office it is to supply statesmen with examples and warnings should omit, as too mean for the dignity of history, circumstances which exert the most

Mellifluous streams that watered all the extensive influence on the state of so

schools

Of Academics, old and new, with those
Surnamed Peripatetics, and the sect
Epicurean, and the Stoic severe."

He does not seem to be aware that
Demosthenes was a great orator; he
represents him sometimes as an aspir-
ing demagogue, sometimes as an adroit
negotiator, and always as a great rogue.
But that in which the Athenian excelled
all men of all ages, that irresistible
eloquence, which at the distance of more
than two thousand years stirs our
blood, and brings tears into our eyes,
he passes by with a few phrases of
common-place commendation. The
origin of the drama, the doctrines of
the sophists, the course of Athenian
education, the state of the arts and
sciences, the whole domestic system of
the Greeks, he has almost completely
neglected. Yet these things will ap-
pear, to a reflecting man, scarcely less
worthy of attention than the taking of
Sphacteria or the discipline of the tar-
geteers of Iphicrates.

ciety. In general, the under current of human life flows steadily on, unruffled by the storms which agitate the surface. The happiness of the many commonly depends on causes independent of victories or defeats, of revolutions or restorations,- -causes which can be regulated by no laws, and which are recorded in no archives. These causes are the things which it is of main importance to us to know, not how the Lacedæmonian phalanx was broken at Leuctra,--not whether Alexander died of poison or by disease. History, without these, is a shell without a kernel; and such is almost all the history which is extant in the world. Paltry skirmishes and plots are reported with absurd and useless minuteness; but improvements the most essential to the comfort of human life extend themselves over the world, and introduce themselves into every cottage, before any annalist can condescend, from the dignity of writing about generals and ambassadors, to take the least notice of This, indeed, is a deficiency by no them. Thus the progress of the most means peculiar to Mr. Mitford. Most salutary inventions and discoveries is people seem to imagine that a detail of buried in impenetrable mystery; manpublic occurrences-the operations of kind are deprived of a most useful sieges the changes of administrations species of knowledge, and their bene-the treaties-the conspiracies-the factors of their honest fame. In the

meantime every child knows by heart the dates and adventures of a long line of barbarian kings. The history of nations, in the sense in which I use the word, is often best studied in works not professedly historical. Thucydides, as far as he goes, is an excellent writer; yet he affords us far less knowledge of the most important particulars relating to Athens than Plato or Aristophanes. The little treatise of Xenophon on Domestic Economy contains more historical information than all the seven books of his Hellenics. The same may be said of the Satires of Horace, of the Letters of Cicero, of the novels of Le Sage, of the memoirs of Marmontel. Many others might be mentioned; but these sufficiently illustrate my meaning.

and elegance of expression, which characterise the great works of Athenian genius, we must pronounce them intrinsically most valuable; but what shall we say when we reflect that from hence have sprung directly or indirectly, all the noblest creations of the human intellect; that from hence were the vast accomplishments and the brilliant fancy of Cicero ; the withering fire of Juvenal; the plastic imagination of Dante; the humour of Cervantes; the comprehension of Bacon; the wit of Butler; the supreme and universal excellence of Shakspeare? All the triumphs of truth and genius over prejudice and power, in every country and in every age, have been the triumphs of Athens. Wherever a few great I would hope that there may yet minds have made a stand against vioappear a writer who may despise the lence and fraud, in the cause of liberty present narrow limits, and assert the and reason, there has been her spirit in rights of history over every part of her the midst of them; inspiring, encounatural domain. Should such a writer raging, consoling;-by the lonely lamp engage in that enterprise, in which I of Erasmus; by the restless bed of cannot but consider Mr. Mitford as Pascal; in the tribune of Mirabeau; in having failed, he will record, indeed, the cell of Galileo; on the scaffold of all that is interesting and important in Sidney. But who shall estimate her military and political transactions; influence on private happiness? Who but he will not think anything too tri- shall say how many thousands have val for the gravity of history which is been made wiser, happier, and better, not too trival to promote or diminish by those pursuits in which she has the happiness of man. He will por- taught mankind to engage: to how tray in vivid colours the domestic many the studies which took their rise society, the manners, the amusements, from her have been wealth in poverty, the conversation of the Greeks. He-liberty in bondage,--health in sickwill not disdain to discuss the state of ness,-society in solitude? Her power agriculture, of the mechanical arts, and is indeed manifested at the bar, in the of the conveniences of life. The progress of painting, of sculpture, and of architecture, will form an important part of his plan. But, above all, his attention will be given to the history of that splendid literature from which has sprung all the strength, the wisdom, the freedom, and the glory, of the western world.

senate, in the field of battle, in the schools of philosophy. But these are not her glory. Wherever literature consoles sorrow, or assuages pain,— wherever it brings gladness to eyes which fail with wakefulness and tears, and ache for the dark house and the long sleep,-there is exhibited, in its noblest form, the immortal influence of Athens.

Of the indifference which Mr. Mitford shows on this subject I will not The dervise, in the Arabian tale, did speak; for I cannot speak with fairness. not hesitate to abandon to his comIt is a subject on which I love to for- rade the camels with their load of get the accuracy of a judge, in the jewels and gold, while he retained the veneration of a worshipper and the casket of that mysterious juice which gratitude of a child. If we consider enabled him to behold at one glance all merely the subtlety of disquisition, the the hidden riches of the universe. force of imagination, the perfect energy | Surely it is no exaggeration to say that

G

no external advantage is to be com- | knowledge shall have fixed their abode

83

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EDINBURGH REVIEW.