repeated with as much confidence as the history of the Peloponesian war, or the age of Philip and Demosthenes. But where contemporary history is wanting, such a superficial study of the supposed historical accounts is worse than no study at all. It is better to reject all, than to believe all, where the alloy of error is large." We fully coincide in this opinion of the translators, in fact, we go further; we will extend the remark confined by them to the annals of Greece, to all remote history. It was long ago proved,— proved to a demonstration, by Sir Isaac Newton, to be utterly impossible, that seven kings, the greater part of whom died by violent and premature means, could, during their reigns, have occupied the space allotted to them by the annalists of Rome. And yet author after author persists in relating the victories of Romulus, and the piety of Numa, with as much gravity,nay more, with as many circumstantial minutiæ, as one of us might portray the æra of George the Third, and the establishment of national independence. Do we not teach our rising generation to believe in the sacrifice of Iphigenia, in the exploits of Hercules, and the devotion of Codrus, with as implicit faith as in the authentic records of the Augustan age? We do trust most sincerely, that this absurd system of teaching things to boys, merely as it would seem that they may unlearn them as men, is fast losing ground; it is by books such as the one now before us, that the death-blow will be struck, and it is our object, and our earnest desire to contribute, as far as our limited means will permit, to a better perception of the advantages to be derived from an abandonment of the old, and an adoption of the new school of history, which has taken root in the German universities, and is fast spreading its branches over the whole civilized world. Works of vast extent and erudition have long existed on these subjects,-known but to a few, and rendered absolutely useless to the many by their very magnitude; yet such is the perversity of mankind, such the tenacity with which we cling to antiquated errors, such the reverence we pay to the wisdom of our ancestors, that this knowledge might as well have lain shut up forever, in the brain from which it emanated; as far as regards the benefit it has afforded to society at large. It is reserved to the present age, to have produced a Niebuhr to throw light on the thick obscurity which involves the earlier ages of Rome, a Boeckh and a Müller to explain the mythology, and elucidate the political movements of the Grecian republics. It is the latter writer, to whom we now call the attention of our readers, as the most comprehensive, satisfactory, and practical author, on the affairs and origin of the Grecian races, who has ever come to our notice. Of course our narrow limits must prevent us from doing much more, than soliciting the public to read and judge for themselves. To give a condensed sketch, of what is already brought into the least diffuse form possible, is no easy task; to quote, or make extracts, is from the very nature of the subject impossible. All that we can do, is to give our opinion of the merits of the work, and of the advantages to be gained by its perusal; and perhaps to strike out a few hints relative to the matter contained, and the order in which the contents are arranged. These two octavo volumes, then, contain a condensation of stupendous labors and great erudition; the information, as regarding facts, dates, and antiquities, is unquestionably correct; the mythological views are the clearest, the most reconcilable to reason and probability, we have ever met with. In short, it is our opinion, that by a careful perusal of them, a man may do more to make himself acquainted, not only with the dry outlines of history, but with the domestic arrangements, the arts, the manufactures, the religion, the private and public economy, of the most singular race of men that perhaps ever existed, than by years of undirected and desultory reading. It has been judged expedient, in modern ages, and in all countries, that the young of both sexes,— in those clases of society which have any regard to a liberal education,— should commence their course of instruction, by study more or less superficial, of the histories of Greece and Rome. Nor can it ever be an uninteresting or useless pursuit, to inquire into the facts, and seek out the springs of action, among nations which have contributed so largely to the arts, the sciences, and the literature of the present day. More peculiarly interesting should it be to us, the inhabitants of the only thoroughly free government, the citizens of the only republic of the age, to investigate the origin, the nature, and the decline of freedom in the republican governments of old. To compare their ideas of political liberty with our own; and to measure their equality of rights by the standard of that, in the possession of which we so justly exult, can never be vain or unprofitable. If, therefore, we are to read, as at some period of our lives we all do, some histories of those ages, when the first germs of government were in the process of developement from utter anarchy, it is surely desirable that we should read the truth; which, on these important topics, is now in reality confined but to a few, while the mass of mankind are deceived by a shadow, as different from that which it seems to resemble, as the mirage of the desert, from the cool and refreshing lake, in guise of which it mocks the sufferings of the deluded traveller. Each volume contains two books; the first treats of "The History of the Doric Race, from the earliest times to the end of the Peloponesian war,” and the second book, of "The Religion and Mythology of the Dorians." In the first, he has, we think, fully succeeded in proving, by a collation of the earliest notices of this race in authentic history, by a careful examination of their dialect, antiquities, and religion, and lastly by the agreement of modern discoveries with ancient tradition, that they were originally "from those districts in which the Grecian nation bordered towards the north, upon numerous and dissimilar races of barbarians ;" that they were dislodged from thence, by the same perpetual tendency of savage tribes to crowd down upon more civilized regions, which in later times precipitated the Gothic or Hunnish swarms on the provinces of the Roman Empire; that they overpowered the more cultivated natives of the Morea, and established that dominion which lasted till they were in turn subdued by the Macedonians, who poured down on them from the same quarter, whence they had previously themselves emanated. This is, in our estimation, the more remarkable, though by no means the most interesting or profitable portion of the history. The sagacity, with which he has hunted out every trace from poetical or historical tradition; the certainty with which he has drawn his conclusions, the pains which he has taken to make each link of his chain sure, before proceeding to the next, is in the highest degree admirable. And here we would remark one particular, in which Müller differs from, and immeasurably excels, almost every other historian,-it is, in attributing VOL. I. 8 the migrations of large masses of population, to the pressure of some actual causes, such as the invasion of a more powerful tribe, or the deficiency of subsistence, working simultaneously on the whole people, and compelling them to abandon their ancient settlements, and seek others as choice or necessity might direct,-rather than to the will of individuals. Civilized nations submit their motions to the judgment of particular officers, savages act according to the guidance of their own unregulated passions, rarely committing any further charge to their leader, than the ordering of a battle, or the adjustment of a feast. In this manner has he most beautifully unravelled the legend of the Heraclidæ, the banishment of whom from the Achæan territories, he has proved to be entirely fictitious; a fable coined by the Dorians, as an excuse for their forcible seizure of the southern districts, and unknown in lower Greece, before the arrival of their migratory conquerors. The accounts of the historical ages, we mean the ages of the Persian and Peloponesian wars, although masterly and correct, are perhaps less remarkable, as differing less from the narrative of other writers. The second book contains an able exposition of the nature and origin of religion and mythology, as introduced and celebrated by this singular race; particularly the fables and sacrificial rites pertaining to Apollo, Diana, and Hercules, their peculiar and national deities. The third and fourth books in the second volume, which are by far the most entertaining as well as profitable of the whole, are occupied by a detailed account of the constitutions of all the Dorian states, showing the general principles from which their governments in no instance varied, as well as the minor points of discrepancy, intruded upon the uniformity of the whole by adventitious circumstances; embracing, also, their political economy, their laws, dress, military and civil establishments, the treatment of their females, the education of their children, and lastly, their arts, agriculture, manufactures, literature, and amusements both in public and private society. Here we must again pause to express our regret, that it is not in our power to analize his most excellent observations on the self-styled republics of Sparta, Corinth, &c. Republics in which the government was vested solely in the conquering Dorians; who, few in number, but strong in unity of principle, in the art of government, and above all in the science of war, were themselves free and equal; lording it over the inhabitants of lands gained by the strong hand of conquest, whom it was their policy neither to incorporate with themselves, nor yet to drive forth from their habitations, but rather to retain in a species of semi-honorable servitude, for the cultivation of the soil and the performance of other offices, which the haughty warriors held to be discreditable or base. It is to be observed, that all contemporary histories of political events, nay even of the government and manners of the Doric tribes themselves, have been the works of Ionic writers, who have rejoiced in contrasting the calm and sedate demeanor of their rivals, with the more showy, though less substantial character of their own citizens; the consequence of this has been a general disaffection of all readers, towards the nations descended from this calumniated race. We know, (for we have ourselves felt it,) the sensation of anger and bitterness with which men read of the success of the Lacedemonian arms, and the fall of their more celebrated antagonist. We confess that we ourselves have been ever hostile to Sparta. To our shame we confess, that we have considered their courage as a mere insensibility to danger, partaking more of the obstinacy of brute force, than of the high and glorious aspirations of humanized valor. It is to the author now before us, that we owe our conversion from such erroneous ideas. To him the credit is due, if we have been at length brought to see and comprehend the truth; for, from him we have learnt, that in many particulars intimately connected with the wellbeing of society,—particulars which we consider essential to the very constitution of a civilized state,—the Dorians were superior to the nations descended from an Ionic stock. We would be understood more directly to allude to their treatment of the sex,-than which no stronger test can be applied, by which to ascertain the comparative progress of nations, from barbarism upwards to the perfection of humanized principles, and courteous demeanor. In proportion as states are free, and high-minded,-for slaves are always degraded, whether their debasement be the cause, or effect of their servitude,―so are females esteemed as the companions, the counsellors, the better-half of their husbands, as the adornment and soul of society, or trifled with as the toys of passion and soulless vehicles of entertainment. From Müller we learn that the Dorian, though born and educated for his country alone, though warlike in his feelings, and reserved in his public deportment, was yet, when at home, an amiable and domestic being; while the Athenian,-far more showy abroad, far more eloquent in the forum, and more captivating at the feast,—was but the admirer of personal, as opposed to intellectual beauty, and not the friend, the father, and the husband. Did our limits permit, we would gladly give copious extracts; in the full conviction that our own strongest endeavors must be feeble, when compared with the talents and erudition, which we are contented and happy to advise, even at a distance. If we could flatter ourselves, that these pages may tend to direct the attention of a single individual to the study of this fascinating author, we should consider ourselves amply repaid for the midnight oil we have expended, had we not been already remunerated beyond all bounds, by the pleasure we have derived, and the information we have acquired from the perusal. This publication emanated from the English press, and is, as usual, elegant in its getting up, and perhaps unnecessarily expensive in its execution. Even thus, however, do we most earnestly recommend it to every scholar, every reading man, to whom science and truth are dear. Still more do we recommend it to the notice of publishers; we are certain that the introduction of such works as this would be hailed by all the literary of our American world. We are confident that it would amply compensate the cost and labor of a reprint; and should we ever have the satisfaction of seeing this valuable addition to the libraries of our countrymen, brought forth from the American Press, we shall feel proud,-proud that we have been a service to the lovers of wisdom,-proud that we have in a small degree contributed to speed the march of intellectual improvement, and the cause of truth. Can tyrants but by tyrants conquered be, Sprung forth a Pallas armed and undefiled? I STOOD beside thine everlasting wave, And musing there, upon my spirit came I thought how more than blest it were, to be Him of Thermopylæ. Anon there flashed Shalt spread thy starry flag, with blazoned names, From Baldwin's ranks, or Cœur de Lion's host, Byron. MONT. |